Selected Audience
Modi govt. chose Houston as
a venue for ‘Howdy, Modi event’
because, the Indian-Americans are
heavily concentrated here. A good
chunk of nearly 40 lakh Indian –
Americans in US enjoy a dual
citizenship with the right to vote in
India as well as US. So, here Modi
and Trump were addressing their
prospective voters too. Modi sought
to defend much criticized and
debated policies of BJP govt. in
India as well as the world. Curiously,
the BJP govt. has gathered a
carefully selected people to the
Howdy, Modi event to ensure a
favorable audience. Here, Modi
reassured the audience that his
party had won a big majority in
2019 elections and the govt.
formed by it is strong and deter-
mined enough. He said: “India
today is not postponing challenges.
It is fighting it head on. India is not
working on small incremental
changes, but on complete
solutions.” In one word, he was
assuring the NRIs as well as
American investors that the BJP
govt. in India is strong and capable
enough to take better care of their
interests. He did not stop here.
Quite shamefully and much
hurtfully to the American people, he
raised the slogan ‘Abki bari Trump
Sarkar ’- in a move to extend
support to Trump if he happens to
contest in the 2020 US presidential
elections.
US Supremacy Asserted
The US president Trump’s
message to the Indian-Americans
in Houston is too interesting. He
said: “you enrich our culture; you
uphold our values; you uplift our
communities …….We are proud to
have you as Americans …….” “Our
first duty is, we must always be
there for the American people –
whether it is African – Americans,
Hisponic – Americans or Indian –
Americans. We are going to take
care of our citizens first, we are
going to take care of our Indian –
October - 2019
Americans before we take care of
illegal immigrants who want to pour
into our Country.”
“America has always been a
nation of pioneers and patriots, risk
takers and free thinkers and
dedicated workers who have
honed their trade, mastered their
field, and teach their children to
always give their very, very best.”
“Every Indian – American help
to write this story of American
greatness and everyone here
today has a crucial part in building
an even grander and greater
American and Indian future.”
Here Trump has left nothing
unsaid to assert the supremacy
and greatness of American culture,
values and leading role in the world.
He set the duties for the Indian –
Americans too and spelt out in what
order of priority he proposes to
treat different types or categories
of American citizens.
A Big Lie
Modi claimed in Houston that
his govt. considers India as a
country of diverse cultures, life
styles and various languages and
upholds the unity in diversity as the
special feature, heritage and proof
of India’s vibrant democracy. This
claim is a big lie. What we witness
in India is ever intensifying attacks
by the BJP and Sangh Parivar
forces on the very idea that India
is a country of various nationalities
each having their own distinct
features. The slogan of Hindu
Rashtra is a part of this attack. BJP
and Sangh Parivar’s attempts to
impose, even by force and
coercion certain cultures, life styles
and food habits on all the people
in the name of Gouraksha and love
jihad, etc. too are a part of the
attempt to wipe out the idea that
India is a country of various
nationalities. Modi’s talk about
diverse cultures, languages and
life styles is nothing but a
deliberate attempt to mislead the
world people, pacify the growing
criticism and discontentment
among the democratic minded
people in US and the world at the
happenings in India under the
BJP’s rule.
Kashmir Question
In Houston, Modi defended
BJP Govt.’s moves to end the
special status to Jammu – Kashmir,
abrogate the Article 370, divide
Jammu – Kashmir into two and
degrade it into Union Territories.
The entire world knows that the
govt. had resorted to these
surprise and arbitrary moves by
keeping the people in dark, turning
the entire Kashmir into an open jail
guarded by the armed forces and
by cutting the Kashmir people from
all forms of communication, media
and movement within Kashmir as
well as with outside world. It
arrested the political leaders and
activists and imprisoned thousands
of people. By this onslaught, the
Indian rulers had turned their back
to the promises made by them to
the people of Kashmir as well as
the world that the political future of
Kashmir will be finally decided in
accordance with the national
aspirations of Kashmir people.
Kashmir people are now deprived
of all avenues to express their
views. Yet, there are many
indications that they are very much
disturbed and agitated by the
Indian govt.’s onslaught and they
would express themselves
powerfully and find a way to
intensify the struggle against the
injustice meted to them and for their
own rights.
Modi used the Howdy, Modi
platform to unleash attacks on
Pakistan rulers. He said: “They
have made hatred towards India
the Centre of their agenda.” “They
support and harbor terrorists.
Some people, who cannot control
their Country are having problems
with what is going on in India.”
“Time has come for a decisive fight
against terrorism and those who
support it.”
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