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The Rediff Interview/ Subash Razdan

'We are here as baratis'

The Indian-American has arrived. Some 112 prominent Indians who have excelled in fields as diverse as Information Technology, medicine, science, research, social work and other walks of life are accompanying US President Bill Clinton on his first visit to India.

Most of the Non-Resident Indians on the Clinton entourage belong to the National Federation of Indian-American Associations, the largest umbrella group of Indians in the United States. NFIAA is a huge confederation of some 1.4 million Indian-Americans, Indians and their various associations in the US.

Speaking to George Iype, NFIAA chairman Subash Razdan explains why the White House has brought along such a large group of Indian-Americans for a US President's visit to India after a gap of 22 years.

What specific work does the Federation carry out in the US?

The Federation's primary objective is to help Indian-Americans fight discrimination and class feeling. If you notice, it is difficult for Indians to penetrate the upper level management in US companies.

Americans are very accommodating and therefore, we do not challenge them at the top. But if you are in the middle management, they don't care for you. Often, cases of discrimination against Indian immigrants come up. Recently, about 40 Indians, HB1 visa holders, were paraded like criminals. We led a delegation to the Department of Justice after which it withdrew the so-called cases against them without any explanation. Thus, pressure from organisations like ours always work.

Do you mean to say that discrimination at workplaces exists in the US? Do you feel it on a day-to-day basis?

The Indian-American feels the discrimination, but he does not talk about it for many reasons. The main being our cultural background. But I do not blame only the American for this problem. Our damn problem is that when we get a weekend, we go to the Patels, the Panickers or the Singhs for dinner. Why don't we go to a John Smith or Paul Wright?

Are you saying that the Indian community there does not make any effort to mingle with the Americans?

Yes. We do not make an effort to socialise with the Americans. Those who do, definitely befriend many Americans. I have many personal friends who are Americans. We get along just fine. In general, the first generation of Indian-Americans are clannish and it is very difficult to change their mentality. However, our children are adapting as they are growing up in American schools.

Are you here on an invitation from the White House?

Yes, we have been invited by President Clinton to accompany him.

What is your role here?

Put in a lighter vein, we are here as baratis. But I can tell you what exactly President Clinton means by bringing us here. It is America's way of saying a big Thank You to us Indian-Americans. It is the Clinton way of recognising the prominent Indians in America and acknowledging our contribution to the US. It is not as if Clinton will say: 'Ok Subash, you are from Kashmir. You sit in my panel that will discuss Kashmir with the Indian officials.' No, it is not that. It is just their way of telling the Indian people that the American people and the government are proud of our contribution there.

So in that sense, it is more of a grand public relations exercise on the part of the White House.

Yes. It is to show India that we respect the Indians in America and we listen to them, they are our ambassadors of peace and prosperity and therefore, they are travelling with the President. The White House is specifically highlighting three things by bringing us here. First, acknowledging the hard work and success of the Indian-American community. Second, recognition for their support to the White House and third, send a strong message to one billion Indians, of brotherhood.

What kind of synergy do you have with the American establishment. How do you explain the Indian-Americans' relationship with the US government?

We have tremendous synergy and a very warm relationship with the American establishment. Our community has done remarkably well in fields like medicine, science, research, development, and now Information Technology. Silicon Valley is the craze now among Indians and others. First, it was the Indian doctors who established themselves in the US, then the engineers, and then the Patels got into the motel business and made the restaurant industry famous in the US. Indian-Americans are controlling an accumulative wealth of more than US $60 billion in the Silicon Valley. Americans understand our potential and that is why we are here with President Clinton.

Do you think that the Clinton trip is a mere social visit or will it culminate in any definite breakthrough in contentious issues like India's nuclear programme?

Before we came here with Clinton, we had gone to the White House for a briefing. We asked the White House officials all kinds of questions -- about lifting of economic sanctions, on Kashmir, on whether India will get a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council and on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. But, they kept dodging these key issues and covered up by telling us about the task forces and various forums for trade and economy set up by the two countries.

However, all said and done, I am optimistic that Clinton will go back and take some good decisions and actions. I am sure that Vajpayee will follow up on the Clinton visit and proceed in the right direction. The mood is upbeat. We are confident that Vajpayee and Clinton will act on the Vision Document.

Do you expect any definite shift in India-US relationship after the visit?

Of course I expect a definite, paradigm shift. Look at it this way. Clinton is spending five days in India and just five hours in Pakistan. You need not do any research to sense the deviation that the Indo-US relationship is going through.

What do think India should do to sustain and continue this new relationship?

The Indian government is doing fantastically well in this regard. India is the next superpower of the world. However, I feel that while dealing with the US, we should be a little circumspect so that we do not end up burning our fingers. We should get into joint ventures only after careful planning. India should negotiate with the US from a point of strength rather than weakness.

There is a perception here that Pakistan's lobbying power in America is considerably better and stronger than India's?

It is a relative thing. Lobbying depends on your demands. If you are demanding Mount Everest, then you have to work hard. I think Pakistan is spending more money as they want to get things done, which we are not interested in. We are self-sufficient here and very successful there, and the US respects us for that. We really do not need any lobbying.

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