Donald Trump’s election, as President of the USA, evoked concerns and shivers in many countries of the world, due to his threats against immigrants. He even signed an order denying birthright citizenship to legal immigrants, which has been struck down for the time being, after being found to be illegal.
Immigration is not a new phenomenon and along with the refugee problem, has often been caused by colonization, aggression and invasions by superpowers and bigger countries. Sadly, immigrants are generally disliked everywhere, though many countries and States, like ours, can’t do without them. This aversion is unfortunate, because migration, away from one’s own, is often under pressing circumstances, due to poverty or for better living conditions and prospects. The general complaint about them is that they displace locals and take away latter’s livelihoods. But, at times, this is also because the immigrants are more hard-working, have better skills and sometimes are more qualified, like the Indians in many countries. At times, they are also preferred because they work for lesser wages. In a few countries, immigrants work beyond permissible hours, to earn more, and this angers locals, who stick to legal timings.
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Trump got the first affront to his haughtiness, at the interfaith service, he attended, when the Episcopal Church Bishop of Washington, Maryann Budde publicly appealed to him for “mercy and compassion” towards the marginalized and vulnerable people “who put their trust in you”. She emphasized that “one of the qualities of a leader is mercy”, specifically mentioning the LGBTQ communities, the immigrants and refugees, “who are scared now”. Braving calls for deportation and against ordination of women as pastors, she, however, refused to offer an apology even to Trump’s demand, asserting that she wouldn’t, when “asking for mercy for others”. Taking up for Budde, another senior Bishop said that the “plea for mercy, the recognition of the stranger in our midst is core to the faith…”
Budde found this an opportune moment to do no more than remind Trump of the core values of Christian faith, which he too professes and has vowed to defend and protect.
Some of our religious leaders in India missed opportunities at the last two Christmas receptions, attended by the Prime Minister, to express to him the apprehensions, fears and anguish of their flock over assaults on Christians and attacks on their Churches, institutions, etc and the situation in Manipur. However, in Goa, some years back, our Archbishop Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrao did use his Christmas receptions to remind government authorities and elected representatives present, of their duties and obligations towards the citizens and to preserve the environment and ecology of the State. For obvious reasons, it may not have gone well with some, as one of them humorously remarked “Amkam apoile ani tapoile”
For Trump, the toughest slap of all, so far, came from President Gustavo Petro of Colombia, who refused landing of US military planes, repatriating Colombian citizens. Petro was angry that his countrymen were shackled, handcuffed and bundled into a military aircraft by the US and sent back to Colombia. Though economic considerations and the imperative of avoiding a trade war, with heavy tariffs, forced Colombia to accept the terms of a giant bully, and Petro had eventually to climb down in agreeing to take back their immigrants, the message to Trump was clear and unequivocal: “Our immigrants are not criminals – treat them with respect and dignity. We refuse to be colonized by America. I don’t shake hands with slavers. Overthrow me … and America and humanity will respond”.
Contrast this attitude of the head of a comparatively small country of around 52 million, with the submissive and servile attitude of the Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister of a great country like ours. They did not utter a word on the similarly humiliating treatment meted out to their countrymen, though they were admittedly illegal immigrants. The US is in its right to deport them, but they are no criminals and needed to be treated as humans with respect and dignity. However, it requires guts, which our leaders lack, to stand up to the arrogance of the President of a country which only preaches but fails to practice morality to the world. Surely, Modi who refused to see Trump during his last visit to US, to avoid displeasing Biden and without anticipating the former’s re-election, is now keen in embracing “my friend Trump” on his ninth visit to US, sacrificing the self- respect of his country and countrymen. To counter China & Pakistan, Modi cannot prostrate before US, thus lowering the prestige of India. We have often compromised our dignity to draw closer to USSR, in the past, and now to USA
Modi has often commendably emphasized on “Make in India”. However, he has never dared call upon his people to return to India, for he well knows that he will meet with a firm NO, as those giving up Indian citizenship are, in fact, on the rise.
Projects are a big source for corruption, bribery, cuts and commissions. Hence, our focus on building infrastructure, which is, at times, meant for the benefit of big industrialists, like the atrocious and health-threatening double track for coal in Velsao. A people centric Government ought to concentrate its attention on lifting the country out of poverty, increasing employment, eradicating illiteracy and encouraging talent, so as to minimize migration and export of intellectual resources.
We simply boast of being the most populous country in the world, but do little to control it or curb unemployment and thus force people into migration and expect other countries to accept them. Imagine the fate of lakhs of people if they need to return to India, even after having spent all their life savings in migrating, because their own country could not provide enough for them to make ends meet. It is a situation that needs to be tackled with urgency, instead of focusing on issues, which far from helping in the welfare of the people only contribute in dividing and turning people poorer.
(The author is a
retired banker)
