PMO clarifies: We never advised Modi

The day after Chief Minister Narendra Modi cancelled his UK visit on 8216;8216;security8217;8217; grounds, the Prime Minister8217;s Off...

The day after Chief Minister Narendra Modi cancelled his UK visit on 8216;8216;security8217;8217; grounds, the Prime Minister8217;s Office stepped in to cap the brewing storm over the Centre8217;s role in the decision.

Pushed on the backfoot by the Gujarat government8217;s announcement that the visit was scrapped following requests from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Shivraj Patil, a PMO spokesperson told The Indian Express: 8216;8216;The Prime Minister did not call up Modi. It was the Home Minister who did so.8217;8217;

According to him, Modi had accepted Shivraj Patil8217;s advice and called up PM Manmohan Singh to 8216;8216;inform him8217;8217; about the cancellation of the trip, which was slated to begin today.

Besides, the PMO spokesperson said, Patil had only asked Modi to take the security situation into consideration while deciding on the visit. 8216;8216;This was an advice from the Home Minister,8217;8217; the spokesperson said.

According to him, Patil had told Modi that as he was undertaking a private visit, the British Government had made it clear that it could not provide any 8216;8216;official security8217;8217;.

Patil, the spokesperson said, also pointed out that Modi could face 8216;8216;demonstrations in London, which may pose a threat to his security.8217;8217;

During the three-day trip, Modi was slated to attend the Gujarat Day function at the Royal Albert Hall in London on March 26.

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Yesterday, a Gujarat government press release said: 8216;8216;Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil called up the chief minister at 10:30 pm on Thursday to tell him that the Central government had information that there were security concerns for Modi in the UK and that he should postpone his visit for the time being.8217;8217;

The Indian Express had on Thursday reported on the confusion surrounding Modi8217;s participation in the London function, with its sponsors Asian Music Circuit AMC admitting that they had not sent an official invitation to the CM.

8216;8216;We are a non-political body and do not want to be dragged into any controversy. We have not invited Modi but he may attend the function,8217;8217; a spokesperson for the sponsors had said. The CMO told The Indian Express that Modi had been invited by Asian Voice, a London publication.

But those who run Asian Voice denied that they8217;d invited Modi. C B Patel, publisher and editor of Asian Voice, told The Indian Express: 8216;8216;We have not extended invitation to Modi. Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar UK are just two of the few sponsors. I8217;d be glad to invite Modi, but I have no role whatsoever in the management of the event, nor am I authorised to invite people for it.8217;8217;