A political analyst in America described Donald Trump’s victory as ‘magical realism’. Intellectuals in America are in shock. They are surprised to see Trump’s victory margin and are trying to find out the reason for it. They are struggling to understand whether this is a defeat of elite politics or a rejection of democracy as it was being played out in America. But what surprised me more was the reaction of some sections in India. Instead of mourning the defeat of an Indian-origin candidate, they are celebrating the victory of an American Christian who has the support of an evangelical church. These are the same people who were angry when Hindus were targeted by ‘evil forces’ in Bangladesh and Canada.
Kamala Harris is the daughter of a Hindu mother. He is proud of his Hindu origin. A Hindu woman who went on to become the Vice President of America and eventually a presidential candidate is an amazing story. Unlike Hillary Clinton, she is not a product of entitlement or a member of the American establishment; She is a prodigious talent who came from an ordinary background and became the Vice President of America with her patience, talent and hard work.
Why are Indians happy?
But why are these people happy on his defeat? Is it because he did not show any pretense towards Bangladeshi Hindus like Trump? Or is it because Kamala Harris’s politics — she’s not divisive and she talks about democracy and constitutionalism — make these people uncomfortable? Is it because she does not support majoritarian politics? Or that it speaks for people of all religions and does not discriminate between people on the basis of their caste and gender? Or is it because she doesn’t tell crude and sexist jokes like Trump?
Those who are celebrating Trump believing that he is India’s friend and India will benefit from his becoming President, are living in a fool’s paradise. They are victims of false consciousness and prisoners of imagination. It is important to remember that Trump is an American and is the President of the United States. His promise is to make America great again – not India. Whatever steps Trump takes to fulfill his promise of making America great again, it will probably be at the expense of India as well as the rest of the world. If it becomes necessary to take strict action against India, he will not hesitate to do so.
Trump’s politics is transactional
We must remember that his politics is not ideological but completely transactional. India will soon have to bear the consequences of their disappointment. He will likely ban the entry of Indians into the United States, with the H1B visa program being the first casualty. Trade with the US will become more challenging as it will put pressure on the Indian government to “cut tariffs” and may even “impose higher tariffs on Indian goods”. Even before his election, he had grouped India with Brazil and China on the issue of tariffs and called India a “huge abuser of tariffs”. If he follows through on his promise to drive out immigrants – a huge commitment to his American voters – Indians will not be exempted.
However, the situation might have been similar with Kamala Harris also. If she had been elected President, she would have given priority to America’s interests despite her Indian heritage. So, no matter who wins, India has no reason to celebrate. India should focus on protecting its national interests, and it is always better to deal with a leader who is predictable and stable. However, Trump is an unpredictable man with an unstable character and his record during his first term as President was not clean.
Trump’s biggest supporter? Orthodox Christian
I’m sure those who are celebrating Trump’s victory should know that Trump represents a resurgence of ‘Christian nationalism’, which many like Bishop Michael Curry call ‘a threat to the soul of America.’ new York Times “He (Trump) says he will affirm that God created only two genders, male and female,” the report said. He will create a task force to fight anti-Christian bias. And if conservative Christian leaders elect him, he will give them better access.” “We have to save religion,” he says. The New York Times writes, “And for nearly a decade, right-wing Christian power, largely But under Mr. Trump’s watch, it has intensified. He won the White House in 2016 promising that “Christianity will have power.”
Trump’s strongest support comes from Central America, a stronghold of conservative Christians. In this election, evangelical churches were particularly active among Latin American Christians – who traditionally vote for the Democratic Party – and convincing them to support Trump. And they succeeded. Over 40% of Latinos supported Trump, significantly contributing to his substantial margin of victory.
Does this mean that people in India who are supporters of Hindu nationalism are now supporting the rise of Christian nationalism? If so, then why do proponents of Hindutva condemn Christianity along with Islam as an enemy force threatening the unity and integrity of India, and allege that it is driving Hindus to convert to Christianity? uses millions of dollars to do?
What did Golwalkar say?
It is worth remembering that long ago, Golwalkar, the patriarch of Hindutva, had described Christians as one of the three enemies of India and accused Christian missionaries of working under the guise of humanitarian aid to make India a Christian land. He wrote, “Such is the role of the Christian gentlemen living in our country today, they want to destroy not only the religious and social fabric of our life, but also in different parts and, if possible, the entire country. Want to establish political dominance.” He further said, “Wherever they have set foot, they have drenched those lands with the blood and tears of the natives and annihilated an entire race. Don’t we know the heart-rending stories of how they wiped out the indigenous people in America, Australia and Africa?”
I don’t know whether the RSS has changed its stand on Christian missionaries or their ideology. Nor do I know whether the RSS has made any kind of compromise with Christian nationalism. The undeniable fact is that Trump’s America supports the notion of a clash of civilizations and champions Christian causes. Despite its best intentions, Hindu nationalism cannot integrate with Trump’s Christian nationalism without undermining the ideology of Hindutva. This raises the question why does Trump have so much support?
Isn’t it ironic that, on the one hand, followers of Hindutva call for Hindu unity in India, while on the other hand, they are unwilling to support a woman of Hindu origin who has achieved significant success abroad – Something that should inspire pride among Hindus? Does this not point to a kind of ideological confusion and contradiction within the movement that claims to make India great and establish it as a great country? VishwaguruThis deserves serious consideration.
(Ashutosh is the author of ‘Hindu Rashtra’ and co-founder of Satyahindi.com)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
