Overseas Congress supporters jubilant over victory

INOC President Dr Surinder Malhotra speaking at the celebrations. Consul General in New York Prabhu Dayal is on his right

NEW YORK: Continuity and economic stability; sparing of a messy coalition government; rout of the communist parties; and averting a possible derailment of the Indo-US civil nuclear deal are the most significant derivatives from the results of the general elections in India that have the Indian American community overjoyed and celebrating.

Even as news came in that Dr. Manmohan Singh would go for yet another innings as India's Prime Minister Indian Americans heaved a huge sigh of relief at the Indian voters' mandate that gave the Indian National Congress a distinct majority allowing for the formation of a government without seeking alliances from smaller political parties.
The Congress won 261 parliamentary seats - just short of 10 seats to claim an absolute majority - leaving its biggest and closest rival, the Bharatiya Janata Party way behind with 153 seats.

Supporters of the Indian National Congress in the Tri-State area were literally dancing with joy over the weekend at a victory party organized by the Indian National Overseas Congress (INOC) as its parent Party emerged the single largest victor in the final tally of the 8th Parliamentary elections in India.

A.R. Rahman's "Jai Ho", "Chak de India" and "Singh is King" blared out thematically throughout the evening's festivities, as hundreds of overseas Indians crammed the hall at Long Island's Akbar restaurant to be part of the boisterous celebrations that were set off to the beating of victory notes on the traditional dhol, Bhangra and other dance routines by young kids and jubilatory speeches by INOC leaders last Sunday.

Thunderous applause was sounded for the "wise and intelligent" Indian voters and for India's Election Commissioner for carrying off one of the largest democratic exercises in the world smoothly and peacefully.

The gathering had a large number of giddily proud natives of Kerala and Andhra Pradesh - the two states, which at 16 out of 20 and 33 out of 42 seats contested respectively, churned up the largest number of seats for the Congress Party. Several of these Indian Americans had camped out in their respective native states in India to campaign for one or the other candidate through the election cycle.

Though as Congress Party supporters, paeans were being sung by speaker after speaker to the historic ability of the Congress Party to provide stability to the country, the speakers largely stuck to the celebratory mood and lauded the Indian voters for their overwhelming mandate.

Interestingly, calling himself apolitical but a diehard Indian, India's Consul General in New York Prabhu Dayal joined the Congress Party celebrations at Akbar with gusto. "I'm not political. I am a diplomat and a civil servant, but I belong to India and that's why I had to come to be with you all in these celebrations," said Ambassador Dayal.

"It was the biggest election in the history of India where more than 700 million people had the opportunity to vote," he continued. "It was indeed the biggest elections ever conducted anywhere in the world so peacefully and smoothly."

Amb. Dayal said there were many forces that tried to disrupt the elections like the Nov 26 terrorist attacks in Mumbai last year. "They were to attempt similar attacks to disrupt the elections but the Indian authorities did not let that happen," he said.

Amb. Dayal urged the Indian Americans to work together as one for India. "All Indians have to work together now; it is no longer about any one political party. We have to think as Indians and not on divisive lines. We have to overcome party divisions and work together to make the largest democracy into the greatest democracy in the world."

"There's a bigger thing to celebrate than the victory of the Congress Party and that is the victory of democracy," said INOC President Dr. Surinder Malhotra. "Democracy in most of India's neighbors has been stifled, but in India it is thriving and vibrant," he said.

Referring to the Left parties which, as coalition partners in the previous government, had put spokes in the passing of the Indo-US nuclear deal, Malhotra said, "A bigger part of this victory is that there would no longer be any impediments in the majority party's ideology to carry out its policies.

Also, the fact that most regional parties got left out and a single party emerged with a majority, is good for the country internationally. Most importantly, the people of India have rejected parties of communism and fascism but voting overwhelmingly for Congress. This election really has shown the intelligence of Indian voters - they voted for security and social harmony."

"We are here for celebration and not for political speeches," said Shudh Parkash Singh, Senior VP, INOC. "For INOC the country comes first. We are not against any other political party; we are for whatever is best for India."

Seated on the dais on the occasion were Presidents of the various US chapters as well as regional Indian chapters of INOC.

"We are a showcase for the world!"
 "No coalition, no horse trading, no juggling acts," said a beaming Najma Sultan, a New York-based doctor and a long time Congress supporter reacting with jubilation at the overwhelming mandate that the Congress received. "...and this gives a lot of stability to people in India, to the region and to the world."

'Thanking God' for the continuity of the Congress-led government in India, Sultan said, "India's pluralistic ethos is the talk of the world today. We are a showcase for the world as a democracy where people believe in peaceful coexistence."

Dr. Piyush C. Agrawal, National Coordinator of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) said, "It is extremely important for India and India's progress as a world power to have a stable government at the Center. It is great news that this time there seems to be a comfortable majority for a single party.

During the US-India Nuclear Treaty negotiations the Indian government was held hostage by the Left Front, which was not in the best interest of the country. National interest must have a priority over party politics."

"The best thing for any Indian abroad is that India's economic growth will be at a much higher rate," said Shudh Parkash Singh. "All those parties that were putting obstacles in the liberalization process initiated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh are not needed to be counted in anymore, and for that matter India will be entering the golden age now and progress faster."

Stating that Indian Americans were all wishing that any party that comes to power must come with absolute majority, Singh said, "All these small parties indulging in give-and-take politics and making deals to support the government was detrimental for the country. Indian voters have shown that they are sick and tired of that."

B. Aravindakshan, a freelance writer said a Congress-led government always meant a stable government for India. "Without a stable government in India, overseas Indians will not be safe," he says. "It is important that the Indian government supports overseas Indians; if we don't have a good government in New Delhi, other countries will not listen to immigrant Indians; no financial institution will fund us."

Thomas Oomen of the Indian Christian Forum in New York was ecstatic over the renewed potential for strengthening Indo-US relations. "President Obama being a progressive person himself, he will love the result (of the Indian elections)," he said. "Obama is going to become a fan of the Indian democracy."

-India Post News Service