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From: "Jai Birdi" <jpbirdi@hotmail.com> Cc: gurpreet_71@hotmail.com Date: Tue Jun 1, 2004 Dear friends, please see attached opinion piece written by Gurpreet Singh. Jai **************** Gandhi's birthplace is politically irrelevant by Gurpreet Singh-Now contributor (Source: http://www.thenownewspaper.com/issues04/061104/opinion/061104op2.html) Indo-Canadians should mark the day Sonia Gandhi refused to become the prime minister of the world's largest democracy. Buckling under pressure from the Hindu nationalists and their allies, the Italian-born Gandhi instead gave this responsibility to a Sikh economist and former finance minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh. Although Indian voters gave a clear mandate to Gandhi to lead the country, right-wing parties threatened to launch agitation against a "foreigner." While the Indian constitution does not bar foreigners from holding the highest office, Gandhi's opponents went to great lengths - attempted suicides hate mail - to prevent her from holding office. The BJP, a Hindu nationalist party, also threatened to boycott her swearing-in ceremony. The group's reaction is quite understandable, but it is shocking to find some conservative Indo-Canadians reacting similarly. The Indians are proud of their compatriots, who have been elected to the Canadian parliament and the B.C. legislature, but won't accept Gandhi as a leader of their own home country. Currently, there are eight Indo-Canadian MLAs in the legislature. Among them is Gulzar Cheema, the former minister of state for mental health. In federal politics, there are two I ndo-Canadians - Herb Dhaliwal and Gurmant Grewal. Dhaliwal was the first Indo-Canadian to become a federal minister. Ujjal Dosanjh, meanwhile, was the first Indo-Canadian premier of this province. Ironically, the Indian government had rolled out red carpets to welcome these leaders whenever they visited their native land. Dosanjh was given a particularly warm reception by the SAD-BJP government when he visited Punjab after becoming the premier. As a trusted ally of the BJP, the SAD also opposed Gandhi. Another BJP ally, Lok Dal, had accorded a civic reception to honour Mahendra Chaudhry, the former Fijian prime minister, terming him as "a son of the soil." In the previous election, too, the BJP had to taste a humiliating defeat in two constituencies on this issue. Gandhi simultaneously contested the BJP in two different ridings and won both seats. A call to the voters to defeat a foreigner failed to make any impact. This time, the BJP pitted another high-profile daughter in-law of the Nehru Gandhi clan, Maneka Gandhi, against her. The magic did not work. Sonia Gandhi's nephew, Varun Gandhi, attacked her race every time he went to address a poll rally on behalf of the BJP. The Hindu extremists did not mince words while spitting venom against Sonia Gandhi and her children. On one occasion, Vishav Hindu Parishad leaders termed her children as "impure'' Indians. Gandhi has lived in India for the past two decades. She did not leave the country even after the assassination of her husband and the former prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi. She groomed her children, Rahul and Priyanka, according to the Hindu tenets. Significantly, Ujjal Dosanjh, Gulzar Cheema and Gurmant Grewal are not Canadian-born and continue to live in their Indian lifestyle while Sonia Gandhi - who was born Christian - has acquired the culture of her husband's country. Certainly, one can question her merits, but race and religion should not be factors to judge her abilities. Indo-Canadians should mark the day Sonia Gandhi refused to become PM as a day of shame. |
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June03, 2004 - [India Thinkers Net]Review of criminal justice system required: Law Minister >> |
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