When Narendra Modi gave the slogan “India first’’ the most excited support for it came from non-resident Indians, particularly NRIs living in America. The Hindutva NRI’s ardent “Indian nationalism”, not nationalism of the nation where they are living, either as citizens or as green card-holders, is well known.
For the first time in history, an American leader has learnt from an Indian leader how to encapsulate a nationalist slogan “America first”. Modiji’s “India first” slogan was given keeping the Indian Muslims and Christians in mind. The unstated idea was that for Muslims and Christians India is not first. For Muslims, “Pakistan is first”, for Christians “Vatican is first’’.
If Modiji wants to build a fence on the Pakistan border, Trumpji wants to build a big business wall around the whole of America. Even this wall business, Trumpji learnt from Modiji only. For the first time, our PM is giving creative ideas to American presidential candidates also.
We know that they are terrified by Trump’s neo-Nazi nationalism. We hope that at least they would realize that the Indian minorities are also human beings like them with a desire to live in peace.
