Bihar headline follows PM Modi to London as Cameron woos Indian business with $13 billion deals

London: India’s former colonial ruler is now an eager economic suitor. Hailing billions in new business deals between the two countries, British Premier Cameron promised to “set this relationship free” from its colonial past. Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said the visit marked “a huge moment for our two great nations” soon after being greeted with official honors and noisy protests. [caption id=“attachment_2504476” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Narendra Modi and David Cameron in London/ AP[/caption] On Day One of Modi’s 3-day visit to Britain, Cameron said British and Indian companies will announce deals worth a total of £9.0 billion (12.7 billion euros, $13.7 billion). Cameron made the announcement at a joint press conference with Modi at Downing Street, saying that new rupee-denominated bonds would also allow Indian companies to issue debt in London. Although it’s not a state visit — since Modi isn’t a head of state — the three-day trip has a lavish level of ceremony. Modi was welcomed by ranks of Scots Guards, saw a ceremonial fly-past by the Royal Air Force Red Arrows aerobatic team and gave a speech to Parliament. He’ll also have lunch with Queen Elizabeth II on Friday at Buckingham Palace. Although it’s not a state visit — since Modi isn’t a head of state — he is being treated to full British pomp on a trip that comes amid rising troubles for him at home, where economic growth is slowing and political criticism is growing. At a joint news conference, Cameron said relations between the two countries, once “imprisoned by the [caption id=“attachment_2504480” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Noisy protests greet Modi on arrival in London/ AP[/caption] past,” were now a “modern, dynamic partnership” between the world’s fifth-largest economy — Britain — and India, which will soon rank third. That did not stop the critics, though. Several hundred people, including Muslims, Sikhs, Nepalis and members of women’s groups, protested Thursday outside Downing St., accusing Modi of overseeing the persecution of India’s minorities. Modi insisted that intolerance was unacceptable in the “land of Gandhi.“We do not tolerate such incidents at all,” he said. “We take strong actions.” Modi has not always been welcome in London. Britain and the U.S. both barred him after 2002 anti-Muslim riots killed at least 1,000 people in India’s western state of Gujarat, where Modi was then the top official. Muslim leaders and human rights groups said Modi did little to stop the violence, a charge he denies. India’s Supreme Court has said it found no evidence to prosecute him for the violence. Britain, an eager suitor India and Britain have close, complex ties dating back to Britain’s time as colonial ruler until the mid-20th century. Nowadays, Britain is eager for more access to India’s fast-growing economy and its market of 1.3 billion people. Following a state visit last month by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Modi’s trip is a sign of the growing economic clout of Asia’s fast-growing economies. Britain is already the largest investor in India among G-20 countries, and Indian firms have also made major investments in Britain, including Tata Motors’ ownership of automaker Jaguar Land Rover. Modi is to visit a Land Rover factory in central England on this trip. Prior to the talks, the Indian prime minister was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour at the Treasury Quadrangle on King Charles Street, London. Modi met members of the Sikh community in Britain before beginning his official engagements. “The UK visit begins with a meeting with the Sikh community in London,” the PMO India said in a tweet. “Deepening diaspora linkages. Before formal engagements, PM finds time to meet members of the Punjabi community,” tweeted external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup. Social media, full circle But, no matter how far away from Bihar he is in the physical world, the social tools Modi has mastered are snapping back at him on his Britain tour - even the promise of a packed Wembley stadium on Friday is not keeping Bihar, ‘intolerance’ and the shameful Dadri lynching out of the headlines in Britain’s newspapers and broadcast media alike. Read the BBC report here . Modi will be hoping that footage of him at Buckingham Palace and being cheered by a huge crowd in Wembley Stadium will help burnish his image in India after his party’s humiliating defeat in the state elections in Bihar, says the BBC which has a delightful video on Modi Miles headlined: Why is Modi always flying? For readers just logging in to this, a heads up: India’s prime minister Narendra Modi is in Britain still chafing from the open wounds of a thorough thrashing in Bihar’s assembly elections. Firstpost’s Bikram Vohra says the the surprising addition though in list of things to do is on 13 November. PM Modi is likely to have a private lunch meeting with Her Majesty, The Queen at Buckingham Palace. A visit to the Warwick University near the Jaguar manufacturing plant in the Midlands is on the cards, before he heads to Wembley Stadium to speak to a massive audience of over 70,000. Bihar trending in British media For a man who has mastered the art of the demagogue, controversy is dogging him more and more. TIME magazine’s coverage of the Modi visit replete with multiple references to “Hindu extremism” , “intolerance of minorities”. “The controversy over a perceived spike in Hindu extremism and intolerance of minorities seem likely to dog Modi overseas — a group of activists recently projected his image on the British parliament building with the words “Modi Not Welcome,” and also they also plan to organize protests at the stadium and the British Prime Minister’s residence at 10 Downing Street during Modi’s visit, says TIME. The New York Times has Modi’s “lavish” UK visit headlined in its Thursday briefing -  a daily go to for the days top global stories. Modi shares space with the Repulicans and Apple on the lead. Here too, deja vu: “Mr. Modi’s party suffered a humiliating defeat on Sunday in the country’s third most populous state, and religious intolerance is rising.” “Rising climate of fear” More than 200 writers, including novelists Salman Rushdie, Ian McEwan and Val McDermid, signed a letter expressing concern about what they called “a rising climate of fear, growing intolerance and violence towards critical voices” in India. Modi swept to power in 2014 on promises to develop India’s economy and root out the corruption and incompetence that had crippled the previous government. But his BJP party suffered a recent drubbing in an important state election widely seen as a referendum on Modi’s popularity. And India’s economic growth is slowing, although it still outpaces much of the world. Modi has not always been welcome in London. Britain and the U.S. both shunned him after 2002 anti-Muslim riots killed at least 1,000 people in India’s western state of Gujarat, where Modi was then the top official. Muslim leaders and human rights groups said Modi did little to stop the violence, a charge he denies. India’s Supreme Court has said it found no evidence to prosecute him for the violence. Modi is to spend Thursday night at Chequers, the U.K. prime minister’s official country retreat. On Friday, he’ll lunch with the queen before capping his visit with a glitzy rally, complete with fireworks, for thousands of supporters at London’s Wembley Stadium. 3D holograms: Modi with a sword An NGO claimed it had projected an image of Modi holding a sword against the backdrop of a swastika on the Palace of Westminster a couple of days ago. The Indian Express reports that British MP Bob Blackman from Harrow East said he had raised this “despicable act” in the House of Commons and promised that those responsible will be caught. The NGO is quoted as saying it got the idea from Modi’s own 3D holograms used in his 2014 campaign for India’s top job.