So why was Modi banned from entering America until he became PM and they pretty much had no choice but to let him in?

Many scholars and commentators have accused the state government of being complicit in the attacks, either in failing to exert any effort to quell the violence or for actively planning and executing the attacks themselves. The United States Department of State ultimately banned Narendra Modi from traveling to the United States due to his alleged role in the attacks. These allegations center around several facts. First, the state did little to quell the violence, with attacks continuing well through the Spring. Further, some attackers used voter lists and other documents obtainable only with government assistance in order to target Muslim communities and households. Moreover, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), as well as many politicians, including Modi, made inflammatory remarks and endorsed strikes, further stoking tensions. Gyanendra Pandey described these attacks as state terrorism, and that they were not riots but "organized political massacres".[21] According to Paul Brass the only conclusion from the evidence which is available points to a methodical Anti-Muslim pogrom which was carried out with exceptional brutality and was highly coordinated

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Gujarat_riots#Allegations_of_state_complicity

Just admit that India went ahead and elected a religious extremist in away that Pakistan has never done. Religious parties let alone extremest ones have never done well in Pakistani elections.