When Can India Raise Its Head High !
By Anjali Sinha
25 October, 2007
Countercurrents.orgBobby Jindal hailing from India has won the electoral battle for governorship of a small State –Louisiana- in America. Reports indicate that there is an atmosphere of festivity in his ancestral home town Khanpur (Dt.Sangarur) in Punjab. Almost all the news channels and newspapers have hailed it as a matter of pride for India.
One can appreciate the wave of pride and joy passing through a section of the Indians in America. They might have at some time or the other been at the receiving end of the apathy if not despise of the Americans. Such marginalized group is ever on the lookout for even a straw to hold on to. But what is there for India or Indians for holding their heads high in a Bobby Jindal who never looked back once he left India in 1970; did not even bother to come down to India when his uncle passed away; and worst of all who holds the same reactionary views like that of President George Bush.
Don’t know how many are aware of the fact that as an orthodox Christian Bobby opposes abortion.; talks about Intelligent Design rather than the scientifically proved Darwinian Theory of Human Evolution .It need not be told that ‘Intelligent Design’ is in a way just another name of God’s Intelligent Creation. Like fellow republicans he has been emphasising that schools should teach the children ‘Intelligent Design’ instead of Evolution. He is strong opponent of same sex marriages which is perfectly legal in many states of US and Europe. Not only that he even opposes the policy of Affirmative Action developed in the 60s for development of the Black and similar socially-oppressed groups. It is not for nothing that not a single Black vote that constitutes almost the one-third of the vote of Louisiana was cast in his favour.
That is not all. Bobby belongs to the party of George Bush – at present the most hated man on the face of the earth. George Bush is credited with attack on Afghanistan, Iraq killing lakhs of people. And to intimidate the people back home passed Black Acts holding them in thrall. He is denounced for this the world over . And this ‘Indian’ was and is a blind supporter of his policies.
How can a person howsoever high a pedestal he might have attained could be anybody for an Indian to be proud of?
If this country is proud of Bobby Jindal then she could also drool over another author of similar Indian origin for his book which is a subject of hot discussion in America. This author Desouza is reported to be a spokesman of the White Supremists over there.He justifies the rempant partiality against Blacks as well as others.
If we like Bobby Jindal how can we turn our face away from Desoza?
Even if we leave aside for a moment this question eulogising Bobby Jindal on personal grounds, we cannot escape the responsibility of seeing how his actions have contributed to the raising the honour of the local people and what has been contribution towards formation of the image of his country of origin.
If any human being, irrespective of his/her label, is instrumental in taking humanity further every human can be proud of him/her. For example Spartacus,the great leader of emancipation of slaves, Galileo,Bruno,the great scientist of the last century Eienstein,the black sportsman Jaycee Owens, or Marx and Engels who gave a new philosophy to for the emancipation of labour, the great martyr Bhagat singh and so on are all on whom we can boast.
However it appears that the standards of honour of Indians are rather unique. They are measured against the big bank balances, certificates from West, from your family or for whom you are working. Indians sing psalms for Laxmi Mittal who is a rising star in Steel irrespective of his breaches of the labour laws from country to country. Indians sing payens of Indra Nooyi of Coca Cola despite knowing that the pesticide content of these drinks in India is highest in the whole world. The Indians are proud of as a reincarnation of Sai Baba despite the fact that BBC had shot a film of his child molestations.
When the question of being proud of Overseas Indian comes, they will never think of the fact that the leader of the strong Taxi driver’s s Union in New York is an Indian who led a successful strike recently. They will not even think of one Mrugank Sud working in the MIT, whose discoveries are considered as deserving the Nobel Prize.
The chest of every Indian will blow up with the mention of Kalpana Chawla.on account of her Space trips. Even if she had settled down there it had been her constant endeavour to acquaint the students from the small town Karnal, where she spent her childhood, with the new developments in the field of space travel. Every Indian worth his salt will be proud of her and justifiably so. The Space leaps of Suneeta Williams would also make our arms tremble. But why should an individual who has long back severed his relations with the people here, lost no time in donning the dress of the Brown American and who is a supporter of the most reactionary party there should lead us to go for celebrations.
Can we reasonably string Bobby Jindal, Indra Nooyi, Kalpana Chawla and the woman leader of the New Youd Taxi Drivers in the same garland? If so, why? If not also why?
There is a fundamental difference among them. Neither Bobby, nor Nooyi has social or scientific development nor human welfare on their agenda. The party to which Bobby belongs has reduced America to the lowest level of human index. Can you ever imagine Bobby criticising the war-mongering policies of Bush? Indra Nooyi of Pepsico has recently purchased a house for 6 crores in Chennai. She may never reside there. But can anybody dare to suggest to her that a contribution of just one-tenth of this sum would have changed the lives of hundreds of poor students?
The most important thing while evaluating a person is to understand how his/her actions help in writing a new chapter of history. It is noteworthy whether the feat has any bearing on the welfare of the common wo/man. Does it help in the establishment of better values. We shall certainly be proud if any Indian takes steps in that direction. Why Indian, even if an American walks along this path we shall spread flowers on the road
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