By
T.P.Sreenivasan
Support
of the Indian Diaspora to India is not automatic. They can be the severest
critics of India on occasions, but they gush forth with support and solidarity
when India does something right. The Emergency in India and the support to the
Soviet Union when it occupied Afghanistan drew condemnation from the Indian
Americans, while they stood like a rock with India at the time of the nuclear
tests, even though the US Government was up in arms against India. The Indian
Americans largely drove the subsequent nuclear deal. So the unprecedented rock
star reception accorded to Narendra Modi at the Madison Square Garden (MSG) reflects
the genuine admiration and expectation on the part of the Indian Americans that
he will transform India.
In
the United States, the rich 1% of the population is believed to be decisive in
the fortunes of the nation. The 1% Indian American population, which is not
only prosperous, but also in crucial professions, has considerable influence.
That explains why several Senators and Congressmen, including the Chairman of
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the equivalent body in the House and
a Governor were at hand to greet Modi. The Indian community finances their
campaigns, gives them professional services and keeps them informed of the good
and bad news from India. The India Caucus in the Congress and the Friends of
India in the Senate are the offshoots of the growing clout of the Indian
Americans in US politics. President Barack Obama cannot but take into account
the tremendous enthusiasm of the significant 1% of his people for the new
leader of the largest democracy when he sits across the table with him in the
White House. The very purpose of the Madison Square Garden extravaganza was
exactly that. Of course, Obama had anticipated the phenomenon when he appointed
Nisha Biswal, Arun Kumar and now Richard Verma to take care of crucial
positions in the US administration.
The
MSG event was more important for its symbolism and implications for the future
than for what was said or done there. But Modi could be trusted to say the
right things at the right time. He harped basically on three themes---how the
overseas Indians, particularly, Indian Americans, have raised India’s standing
and prestige abroad, the greatness of India, old and new and his personal
promise to meet the expectations by sheer dint of hard work.
Modi’s
image of the Indians of today playing with the computer mouse rather than the
proverbial snake was a compliment not only to India but also the overseas
Indians, who spearheaded the IT revolution in the world. He thanked the Indian
Americans for keeping awake with bated breath during the Indian elections, even
though they could not participate in the vote. Many had even gone to India to
provide support to him, he said.
Modi
was at his best in waxing eloquent on Indian heritage and its potential. Gandhi
created the freedom movement and he is determined to create a clean India
movement. Indian is a young nation with an ancient history. With his penchant
to create alphabetical soups for all occasions, he spoke of three Ds this
time--Democracy, Demographic dividend and Demand—which would drive India.
Having not taken even a “fifteen minutes vacation” since he assumed office, he
would work tirelessly to keep up the promise he had given to the people.
He
invited every one to participate in the Make in India program.
As
expected, Modi spoke eloquently about ‘Mangalayan’, the highly successful Mars
mission, which took India to the galaxy of four Mars explorers. In Gujarat, an
auto rikshaw ride costs rupees ten per kilometer, but the journey to the Mars cost
only rupees seven per kilometer, an argument against the charge of extravagance
voiced by some. Though the Mars mission was launched before Modi’s emergence,
he took the full credit for it.
Modi
announced some consular concessions to overseas Indians, but not the dual
citizenship, the long cherished dream of the Indian Americans. Many had
expected him to announce it, going beyond the Person of Indian Origin (PIO)
card and the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, put in place by previous
Governments. He must have explored it and realized that dual citizenship was
not feasible for various reasons, including constitutional constraints.
Lifelong visa for PIO card holders is, however, an improvement. His own visa
issue appeared to be behind his comment that India was offering visa on arrival
to those who are reluctant to give visas to Indians.
Modi
was unconcerned about
the
fact that he was addressing essentially foreign nationals , who owe their
allegiance to the US than to India. He also ignored the fact that many of them
did not follow Hindi. In fact, some in the audience had challenged Atal Behari
Vajpayee in 2000, when he spoke in Hindi at an Indian community function in
Washington. When Vajpayee said that that he had spoken in Hindi even at the UN,
he was told that he had the facility of simultaneous interpretation at the UN.
At MSG, the mood was so exuberant that what he said was less important than the
privilege of being with him.
Modi
did not dwell at length on India-US relations, even though US policy makers
were present, perhaps because he wanted to hold his horses till he reached
Washington. But the word must have reached Obama loudly and clearly that a
significant 1% of his people saw Modi as a messiah of change in India and that
partnership with him will benefit the US in meeting the global challenges of
the future. The euphoria of MSG will definitely reverberate in the White House
and the man, who was once a Persona Non Grata in the US, will be warmly
received. Obama is sure to seek his counsel on Ukraine, ISIS, South China Sea
and Afghanistan and seek to resolve problems relating to the nuclear deal,
defense cooperation and investment. The moribund relations between the two
countries may be awakened by the songs,
dances and speeches at the Madison Square Garden.
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