No need to spy on the BJP since India, US are friends: Senator John McCain

Just as relations between US and India started to thaw after the Devyani Khobragade episode, the two nations have found themselves at the crossroads again following recent reports that American security agency NSA spied on the Bharatiya Janata Party when the latter was in the Opposition in Parliament. Senator John McCain, who is visiting India, admitted that the revelations were embarrassing.

“…We know that these things happen…  It is embarrassing though, because we’re friends,” he told CNN-IBN.

McCain also clarified that while these things happen in the process of gathering intelligence, the Indian government should speak to the US openly, now that the BJP is in power. “We know that these things go on. But it seems to me now BJP is in power, we don’t have to do that any more. We’re friends now. We can speak openly and honestly now,” he said.

McCain also invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Silicon Valley. “I think the important thing is clearly the Prime Minister’s desire to come to the United States to meet with the American poeple. By the way, I would love to see him stop in Silicon Valley,” he said while inviting prime minister Narendra Modi to address a joint session of the US Congress, Economic Times reported. McCain was also the one who pushed to invite Modi to the US, the report says.

McCain who was the Republican nominee for the 2008 presidential elections, is now a member of US Senate Foreign Relations Committee and an influential member of the US Congress.

When asked how about the denying of a diplomatic visa to Modi by a Republican government in 2005, McCain said that the time had come to let the issue go. “I think the time now is to put that issue behind us. The people of India have spoken, and as far as I’m concerned, we should treat the PM with the respect and authority that the people of India have given him,” he said.

“We have very high expectations as I think the people of India do. This is a very decisive election. We have a very strong leader. We think that it’s an opportune time for renewing and re-invigoration of relations with India,” he added.