Mumbai, May 7, 2003: The Indian Liberal Group is glad to note that the international diplomatic community is reluctant to be seen in the company of Gujarat Chief Minister Mr.Narendra Modi. According to a recent report in The Times of India a large number of ambassadors who were invited by FIICI to an interactive closed door meeting with Mr.Narendra Modi (the press was kept out) stayed away while some sent trade representatives from their missions.

Two weeks earlier Sucheta Dalal of The Indian Express reported that AFL Chairman Cyrus Guzder who was to take over as the Western Region Chief of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) turned down the offer. This is a fallout over CII’s 'contretemps' with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. According to this report "while the CII apparently sees no disconnect in its pusillanimous stand and its constant preaching about good governance, Cyrus Guzder decided that he couldn’t bury his personal views even if the CII was doing so. So he turned down the Western region chairmanship".

Both underline the fact that it cannot be 'business as usual'. This is particularly gratifying to the Indian Liberal Group on two counts: First it is an endorsement of a fundamental Liberal belief that economics and trade cannot be isolated from human rights and a free society. Second it is not an accident that Cyrus Guzder is an esteemed member of the Indian Liberal Group. He has had the courage to stand up for his convictions and his beliefs, and turn down the offer of heading the western region of the CII.

The Indian Liberal Group proudly salutes him and also others, including some from the CII, who have had the courage in times like these to stand up for what they believe in -- Ms Anu Aga, Mr Deepak Parekh and Mr Rahul Bajaj. We also salute Mr Jairus Banaji who first had the courage to ask uncomfortable questions of Mr Narendra Modi at the CII meeting in Mumbai in January this year, and for which he was humiliatingly shown the door for knocking at the doors of our collective conscience.

May there be more men and women with courage at a time like this when it is expedient to bend before the prevailing winds. We salute them for standing up for the foundations on which this country has existed and survived for centuries.