Anuradha Dutt has a superb piece about Bobby Jindal, the recently-elected governor of Louisiana. Reproducing the piece here in full.
There’s no reason Indians should feel proud over his election. As the article rightly says, it means nothing to India.
Tags: Commentary, Indian Politics, International Politics, Media Watch, Society & Culture, WeblogsBobby Jindal, who?
Anuradha DuttThere’s nothing about the new Louisiana Governor that’s Indian. Why celebrate his win?
Ina nation of immigrants, it is completely legitimate that Mr Bobby Jindal, of Punjabi origin, should have been elected Governor of the American State of Louisiana. Rather, it is somewhat late in the day fora representative of the largely well-educated and affluent Indian community to have made a mark in politics, underlining the dominance of the US by the White ruling elite that shapes policies, and lays down the parameters for civilised existence.
Then,it is only to be expected that Mr Jindal fit perfectly into this social matrix, having changed his name from Piyush to Bobby, after a character in The Brady Bunch, a popular television show; and embraced Christianity in his teens. These actions expose his pronounced eagerness to be accepted by the White Christian population of the US by burying his ethnicity. Whatever else he may be, he is not the ’other’.
For all purposes, Mr Jindal is an all-American church-going family man,parroting the ultra-conservative jargon of the Republican Party to which he belongs. He thus wants Biblical view of creationism to be taught in place of Darwinian theory of evolution in public schools;supports a ban on abortion, and opposes affirmative action and laws against hate crimes. There is really little to distinguish him from his boss, US President George W Bush.
In contrast, most Indian immigrants are proud of their origins and culture, making it a point to celebrate their religious festivals with fervour, and instil the love for their antecedents in their progeny.But they also retain the secular temper of their motherland, and its respect for pluralism in race, religion and lifestyle.
MrJindal’s triumph is his alone, and not shared by the majority of American Indians, who support the liberal Democratic Party. Mr Toby Chaudhury, spokesman of the Indian American Leadership Initiative(IALI), which sides with the Democrats, observes that Mr Jindal may have cornered "the Mother Teresa vote but Mahatma Gandhi certainly would have opposed him on principle". Little wonder that he should have become governor of a backward State, with a meagre Indian population of less than 10,000. The fact that he is the first Indian member of the Republican Party to have risen this high indicates that he has, like a chameleon, succeeded in transmuting his identity and shedding his affiliation with the country of his origin.
A local paper, the Times-Picayune,qualifies Mr Jindal’s achievement by its cryptic remark that his victory did not quite make the Indo-American community delirious with joy. And that, clearly, is because Louisiana does not figure in its scheme of things, being peripheral to its concerns. Most Indians, being tolerant, are also wary of his conservative views like, for instance,his espousal of Christian prayers in school. The bulk of the people really celebrating his victory are in his village Khanpur and his biradri in Punjab. For, his election opens up the doors of opportunity to them as they feel that it might be easier now for them to emigrate to the US. Whether an influx from Punjab will actually occur in the wake of his elevation to Louisiana Governor is a matter of surmise.Given the US’s fear of South Asians after the 9/11 attacks on New York,it is unlikely that immigration rules will be relaxed.
Some,like one of his aunts, see a future President in Mr Jindal - an unwelcome proposition for Americans other than Indians. Lest his brethren back in his village go overboard in their jubilation over his victory, they need to remember these sobering facts. One, Mr Jindal’s loyalties lie with the US, not India. His parents willingly relinquished Indian citizenship for personal gain. This, unfortunately,is a matter of no relevance to the community of immigrants, who belong to no man’s land, being driven by self-interest. Two, his conversion to Christianity and change of name seems to have been a calculated move,impelled by ambition and not the greater good. It is necessary to find out whether, after entering politics, he has encouraged evangelical activities in his forefathers’ village. Three, his continuing links with his ancestral village may prove to be a bone of contention for India and the US if he chooses to keep a leg in both the countries, and owns land and property in Punjab. It may be pertinent to note that he is reported to be an influential member of the pro-nuclear deal camp,and may have business links.
In light of these facts, the euphoria in India, more so in the Indian media, over his victory needs to be tempered with caution.
I find this article very funny. Now we want to blame an Indian immigrant in America for doing all he can to be American?
I even remember reading Sandeep wishing Jindal well…and contrasting him with Sonia Gandhi’s opportunistic and sometimes cowardly behavior. What happened now?
Yes. Jindal is an American first and last. He should be if he sees himself governor of an American state and wants to grow more. If in the process he is seen…by “Indians” as sucking up to WhiteAms and their Christian ethic…then surely, the latter are on the wrong bus.
Dare I say….a Sonia in Jindal’s frame…would be applauded by us..including this intersting writer.
Hypocricy anyone?
Correction : “then surely, “these Indians” are on the wrong bus.”
Palahalli,
The idea is not to view Bobby as having committed a crime by sucking up to the Americans. Let him completely Americanize himself - the point is, there is no reason for Indians to feel proud about him - unless they suffer from ethnicity-related complexes. It is spirituality and culture that make India India - not ethnicity. kRNvantu vishvam Aryam!
Hate to say this, but it’s those rare occasions where I’ll have to side Palalhalli.
Why Jindal changed his religions/faith/nationality - not anyone’s business, unless someone puts froth a right argument otherwise.
Jindal performance in LO has been recognised by the people in that state - he should be applauded and congratulated. He will inspire NRIs or second generation NRIs who aspire public office.
He is who he is. He is where he is. Let’s accept it and work in a manner where his role and influence can help other Indians and India or NRI community.
HE Palahalli, it’s you that are funny.
Where is Jindal being blamed for what he has done (or achieved rather)?
What Sandeep said was clear
There’s no reason Indians should feel proud over his election. As the article rightly says, it means nothing to India.
Read before you leap PaL
TOI as usual went over board and put his news on front page ..!! But yeah i agree with you he has nothing to do with india
If I am not mistaken, I think he is an american by birth and never was an indian except his background.
Sandeep, I have a suggestion regarding the color scheme of your blog. It is very difficult to read gray letters against white background. It will be helpful if you could choose more contrast. Thank you!
Indians as usual refuse to see long-term trends. Just fit this Jindal episode into the long line of converts from Dharma who publicly renounce their culture as deficient and their parents as bigots. Of course, the Americans will promote a few house slaves and happy “niggas” who turn d’souza.
A religious conversion is not a trivial matter. It involves breaking not just religious connection with his family, but cultural connection too.
Would you trust a person, who, for personal gains, has renounced the religion & culture of his forefathers? Would you like to identify yourself with such a person? Would you feel proud of his achievements?
Sonia Gandhi is forging ahead with her Catholic agenda of conversion and building churches in Tirupati, ramming all sorts of indignities down the throats of a country which has suffered terribly from twin colonizations by Muslims and Christians.
I don’t see Jindal destroying churches in the bayou anytime soon. Secularists, no one is buying your terrorist tricks.
[I]It may be pertinent to note that he is reported to be an influential member of the pro-nuclear deal camp,and may have business links.[/I]
So this little converted runt Jindal is involved in the fake nuke deal.
Times of India -
An influential US Congress delegation, including Indian American Congressman Bobby Jindal, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday and discussed the India-US civil nuclear energy deal and ways of dealing with global terrorism.
Frog;
- The article itself treats Jindal as some sort of traitor. Indians may or may not feel proud of Jindal’s achievement. Just like Europeans may or may not feel proud that many of their “countrymen” of yore in America, have made it big in that country. Indeed, it is always us Indians…who will drum up a fuss about “Indian” achievements in foreign lands. The achievers may not even consider themselves Indian.
In light of your post again..I find Jindal absolutely right in choosing to become American..to the best of his ability. That is the only way he can remain true to his country’s and voter’s aspirations.
As Sandeep has indicated before…something we would have wanted Sonia to do.
Sri; How many American achievements in that country…have meant anything to India?
Pandava; Sir, do you live in the United States?
Dare I say….a Sonia in Jindal’s frame…would be applauded by us..including this intersting writer.
Hypocricy anyone?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Since you are so fond of game of comparisons lets play a game here too.
Lets find out the community service, professional capability, when they acquired citizenship of their respective countries and WHY and educational records of both, revered Sonia Ji and Jindal Ji.
Then you, Mr. ALL BRAIN Halli, talk to us.
Are you telling me you would not have applauded Sonia if she had done everything Jindal did? Including converting, in her case, to “Hinduism”?
Jindal is an Indian Clarence Thomas. He will do anything to climb the ladders of power. Only those NRIs who have no self-esteem should feel proud of this man’s atavistic social and political values. I dont give a tuppence for his change of religion, albeit I suspect it was done in order to advance his career. I will be appalled if it is confirmed that he forced his Hindu wife too to convert.
Alex - “I will be appalled if it is confirmed that he forced his Hindu wife too to convert.” - But why? And how will we ever know if she “forcibly” converted??
And…how is Jindal an “NRI”?
I am confused by this blog’s comment column. My comment reg. Jindal being like a Clarence Thomas appeared under Palahalli’s box!
I had read that he was not actually born in the US. If my info is wrong I stand corrected. If he was born here, he is not an NRI.
Reg. “forcible” conversion of his wife, I had read some time ago, that Jindal did force his wife to convert and that he also encouraged his parents to convert which I understand that the latter did not oblige him with.
Having said that, I see very little for this US citizen of Indian origin to feel proud of Jindal’s atavistic social and political philosophy. Jindal is even scared of meeting with the officials of the Hindu American Foundation in his Congressional Office in DC and assigned a low level aide to meet with them. But, he never fails to go hat in hand to the Indian community when he wants to raise money for his campaigns. And, sadly, many gullible Hindus fork out monies for this man who has as much devotion to principles of fairness and honesty as Clarence Thomas has.
Alex - I thought NRI is a status. How can a governor of an American State be a Non Resident Indian? He has to be an American. I don’t think Jindal was born in the US.