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Biden Campaign Should Strategically Rethink India Policy (Prof. Suresh U. Kumar)

Published on 02 July, 2020
Biden Campaign Should Strategically Rethink India Policy (Prof. Suresh U. Kumar)
I have been an early supporter of Joe Biden, right from summer of 2019, when few gave him a chance in the democratic primaries. While many of his detractors point to his advanced age and his past political missteps, I see Joe Biden as one of thetorch bearers of a species facing extension- the generation elder statesmen, like his good friend former Senator John McCain, Congressman John Lewis, and his own old boss, President Barack Obama. Leaders for who courage, personal integrity, and empathy mattered. I believe that Joe Biden is the the man we need in the White House, especially during this period when we grapple with multiple major crisis and trust in establishment is at low ebb.

Therefore, I was one among the hundreds of thousand of Indian Americans (not to mention the millions of Indian citizen) who were disappointed with the policy position on India announced by the Biden campaign. In the policy paper on Muslim Americans Joe Biden wants New Delhi to take necessary steps to restore rights of all Kashmiris and has expressed disappointment over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act as well as the implementation of the National Register of Citizens in Assam.

There are media reports that there are some aspects of the implementation of the Kashmir policy, CAA and NRC that was not in keeping with India standing as open, diverse and democratic society. However, I believe that Joe Biden has been ill advised on taking a hard line on the India policy. First, Kashmir is very complex issue that dates back to the per-independent India and is rooted in the distrust between Hindus and Muslim sowed by the divide and conquer policy of the British. It is worth recalling that since partition in 1947, India and Pakistan, both nuclear powers have fought four wars and had countless border skirmishes since. Some experts believe that the Indo-Pakistan issues is more complex than the Israel- Palestine conflict with almost every issue having many shades of gray to it. Second, there really is no net political benefit from taking an uncalled for anti-India policy stand.

Given this reality, it does not for help a presidential campaign to weigh in especially given the many social, racial and economic justice issues that US is grappling with. The Indian American community leaders I spoke to seems to think that this policy is an attempt by some on the Biden Campaign staff with conflicting interests, to try to appease one religious group. The question is at what expense? Indian Americans being up the legitimate question of the interests of all the other stakeholders involved. These include, Kashmiri Pundits (Hindus) who were driven out of their ancestral homeland by Islamic fundamentalist; the people of India whose taxes and subsidies have sustained the terrorism shattered Kashmir economy for the past four decades; and the thousands of Indian Military personnel who have made the ultimate sacrifice protecting Kashmir from repeated terrorist incursions sponsored by the State of Pakistan.

Earlier this spring, I and two fellow Biden supporters, both of who live in swing states and have deep roots in the Indian American community, investigated the issue of the shifting support of the Indian American Voters towards Trump, especially among the older immigrant population which maintain close ties with India. We reached out and spoke to 16 leaders of large Indian American organization with members all across the country.

Ourfindings confirmed anecdotal evidence, leading to the following conclusions: 1.) Due to theanti-India stand of many left leaning Democratic party leaders there is a perception that their policy position is shared by the Biden Campaign; 2.)While most Indian Americans disapprove of Trump on policy matters like immigration, gun control, climate change, on his ham-handed handling of the Covid19 crisis, and also on moral grounds, they feel overall he is better for India, due to his firmer stand on Pakistan sponsored terrorism and his good relationship with PM Modi; 3.) The perception, however mistaken, persists that Trump is better for the pocketbooks of the Indian American community due to his tax cuts; 4.)As the result of the factors listed above, it is estimated that for the 2020 Presidential elections, there will be a 15-20% shift of the traditionally democratic leaning Indian American voters towards Trump making the balance closer to 50-50%. In most swing states this translates to between 30k to 100K votes moving over the Republican column, with the potential to influence the outcomes in some districts.

We also found that the Biden campaign and most of the existing pro-Biden political support groups cater to a younger demographic (who are mostly pro democrats) and do not understand or appreciate the nuances of the Indian American immigrant voters. It will help if the Biden campaign adds more leaders from the Indian American community and engages more actively with the large immigrant Hindu voters in swing states.

They are a crucial voting block who will help elect the next President of US and the India Policy of the candidate is a critical consideration. Therefore, the revelation of the India policy by the Biden campaign at this inopportune time, only adds fuel to the fire.

Yet, India Americans, who have made America their home, will have to factor in other political considerations that are US centric. This bring into question issues such as ethical leadership, the health of our democracy and its pillar intuitions,the American leadership on the world stage, climate change, social and economic equity, and racial justice. On all these fronts Joseph R Biden is far and away the better candidate to be the next President of the United States. Biden has a track record of working on issues impacting India, such as trade and cross border terrorism. The deadly pandemic sweeping the nation, has done us one good turn- it has revealed the gross incompetence of Donald Trump- and bolstered the prospects for Joe Biden. Assuming Biden wins, given his track record to be thoughtful and correct mistakes, I am hopeful that after he walks into the White House on Jan 20 2021, he will reassess the US-India Policy and build upon the already strong foundation of the US-India relationship.

Note: Suresh Kumar, is a 5 time Inc 500 ranked serial entrepreneur and Professor of Practice at NJIT. He is a longtime community activist and serves as Committeeperson of the Middlesex County Democratic Organization, NJ. He was the National Communications co-chair of South Asians for Biden from Oct 2019 till May 2020. Email:
sk.socialmedia@gmail.com

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