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DR ANTHONY GONZALES, former head of the Institute for International Relations, UWI, St Augustine, has some concerns over allegations being made against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but overall has no problem with him being awarded the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (ORTT), he told Newsday on July 2.

Modi is due to arrive in TT on July 3 where he will be presented with the ORTT by President Christine Kangaloo, and later attend a diaspora cultural show, and on July 4 address a joint assembly of both Houses of Parliament.

Local Muslim group, ASJA, expressed concerns about Modi's past including the occurrence of the 2002 Gujarat riots, Citizenship Act, revocation of Kashmir's special status, construction of a Hindu temple where a Muslim mosque had stood, the Waqf Properties (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, and Modi's description of Muslims as infiltrators. Gonzales said Modi had been governor of Gujarat where some had accused him of not adequately protecting local Muslims.