An American Muslim group has urged the Bush administration not to allow Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to visit the US because he was allegedly identified with the communal violence that killed over 1,000 people in the state.

The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), which claims to be the largest advocacy group for Muslims in the US, also sent out an "Action Alert" urging members to send letters to the State Department to block Modi's entry into this country for the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) annual convention next month in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

"CAIR is seeking to block Modi's entry based on a section (Sec. 604) of the International Religious Freedom Act that makes any foreign official who has engaged in 'particularly severe violations of religious freedom' inadmissible to the United States," said the organisation in a release.

Following anti-Muslim riots in 2002, "senior officials in Gujarat told human rights activists that they had been directed by Modi to allow the massacres to run their course," says CAIR, adding that "Modi allegedly called the riots "anticipated Hindu reaction" and "a natural outpouring".

The release also quotes American media reports alleging investigators had found that the violence had been encouraged by the state government. It accused the chief minister of being "a key proponent of the militant and exclusivist Hindutva philosophy that aims to unite Hindus, and consolidate their votes, largely around fear of Muslims".

Those opposed to Modi's entry into the United States have formed a group, the Coalition Against Genocide (CAG), to press for action by the AAHOA and by US government officials.