Letters to the Editor - NRI Online Feedback

Racism, Indian Style

From : Anand Verma

1999

Dear Sir:
With your commentary, you have expressed your liberal, but somewhat naive view in support of Sonia Gandhi's aspirations to become the executive head of a billion people. Your analogy with other NRIs facing discrimination in the U.S. or U.K. is quite inapposite and far-fetched. If she faces prejudice in seeking employment or in acquiring property in India because of her foreign descent, then she can cry racism. Can you, as an NRI, seek the office of the President of the United States, or of the Prime Minister of England? Let alone these powerful positions, can you name one NRI who was ever allowed to run for the top position (nation's executive head) of any western country?

India has been more hospitable and tolerant to Sonia than all western nations combined could ever be to an NRI. After the death of Rajiv Gandhi, India never evicted Sonia (she still lives there) from the official Prime Minister's residence in New Delhi. Can you expect the same treatment from the U.S. to allow a foreign-born wife to stay in the White House after the death of her husband (assuming he was the President of the U.S.)? As a President of the Congress Party, she still has one of the most powerful positions in India. Can you envision an NRI ever becoming the President of Democratic Party or of G.O.P. in the U.S.? I think not.

Anand K. Verma

The views of this column are the author's own, and do not necessarily represent the views of NRI Online.

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