Donald Trump & the US right he represents Versus Indian rightist forces | Arun Srivastava

Indian rightist forces are quite elated at Donald Trump wining the US presidential election. For them it is one step closer to the burial of the centrist and liberal forces. They are quite optimist that with Trump in president’s chair for the second time they would be in the enviable position to dictate the political development in South East Asia. This euphoria is perceptible in RSS trying to dictate the political discourse in neighbouring Bangladesh and become the voice of the Hindus of that country.

Though using nationalism as the ideological tool the rightists forces led by RSS and BJP have emerged as a major force in India, the foundation on which they have to survive and grow, is quite fragile. They claim to borrow inspiration and ideological feed from the rightist forces active in western countries, but it is not the fact. There is vast difference between the two. The western rightist forces have been using racism but they build up their edifice and expand on the strength of economic policies.

This is not the case with Indian rightist forces. While American right would preach about the right to free speech, Indian "right" is for denying this. American right would never want government to interfere in religion, Indian right wants government intervention in religion because "only Hindus suffer at the hands of government so all should suffer equally." Indian right have no place for ideologues. For better or worse, everyone can decide for themselves. This is manifest in Narendra Modi’s mode of rightist politics.

The rise of the far right is a global phenomenon. But nowhere the right is stronger than in India. RSS represents the largest and most organized far-right force in the globe. It nurses the vision of a militaristic path. It is a vision in which Muslims have no history and therefore no right to identify as Indians. It is an universally known fact that RSS and its political wing BJP are far-right force with fascist characteristics.

Like India rightist forces have been quite assertive in US. Between 2007 and 2011, the number of rightist terrorist attack was five or less per year. They then rose to 14 in 2012; continued at a similar level between 2012 and 2016, with a mean of 11 attacks and a median of 13 attacks. BJP represents the largest and most organized far-right force in the globe. This had motivational impact on the Indian diaspora in US.

The emergence of rightist forces in India witnessed significant transformation of the Indian diaspora across the world. The members of diaspora in the past were simply concerned of career and financial gains, but after 2014, once BJP led by Modi came to power in India they also started striving for share of power min US. A large number of diaspora people joined BJP. During his frequent visits to foreign countries Modi motivated the diaspora people to join the rightist rank. On its part the RSS established Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh in almost all the countries.

This was the phase when a large number of students and businessmen especially from the OBC, Dalit and EBC moved to foreign countries, especially US, either for studies or for business. In India by and large they were associated with the RSS and BJP. This affiliation motivated them to form separate rightist groups. These rightist groups in US received significant morale booster from Trump, who was busy creating his own support base, apart from the traditional Republican support base.

The primary reason for illiterates Americans and members of Indian diaspora voting against Kamala Hariss was her overreliance and endorsement of Joe Biden’s policies, which according to them harmed their interest. A majority of the people, 62 per cent, disapprove Joe Biden’s job performance. About half of Asian adults and six-in-ten Hispanic adults did not support Biden’s candidature. Two-thirds of White adults (67%) say they disapprove of Biden’s job performance. Quite intriguing a portion of the democrat supporters also did not vote for Biden for his policies.

Like Indians both Hispanics and Asian Americans who earlier identified with the Democrat than the Republican , this time switched their loyalty to Trump. About 63 per cent first-generation Hispanics are Democrats. Second-generation Hispanics even more strongly identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party (71%) than the Republican Party (19%).

Trump made opposition to immigration a cornerstone of his political career, pledging to conduct mass deportations of people living in the U.S. illegally. Many Hispanic voters supported Trump’s hardline positions, according to the Edison Research exit poll. This has been also a reason for workers getting attracted to Trum, as most of the jobs were eaten away by the migrants. Yet another factor that helped Trump is the changing ideological adherence of the workers. US workers have suddenly developed averseness to the unions. They do not want to enrol as the members of unions. Membership of unions has been on decline according to a January 2024 Center survey. Sixty nine per cent Democrats say the decline has been bad for the country, and 74 per cent say it has been bad for working people.

Labour party losing the charm and popular support also owes to ill treatment meted out to Marxist labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Before Keir manoeuvred to remove him from leader of the Labour party, he was a member of the Labour Party from 1965 until his expulsion in 2024. He served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020. Sidelining of Corbyn had its impact resonated in US. The labour supporters and members of the party in US became disillusioned. Having foreseen that labour has no prospect in US the workers gradually shifted their loyalty.This time they vote for Trump in the hope that he would do some thing concrete for them.

In some cases, workers defied their unions’ endorsements of Democrat Kamala Harris and instead voted for Trump. It’s a stunning defeat for the Democratic Party, which for decades prided itself as the party of organized labour, and victory for Trump, who has put the plight of working-class Americans centre stage in his political messaging. Nevertheless this shift poses a serious challenge to Trump as to how this new reality would reflect and shape his labour policies.

There is strong connect between the Indian American diaspora ,especially first-generation immigrants, and Indian politics. Right-wing BJP enjoys considerable support among the Indian diaspora in the United States; 48 percent of Indian Americans approve of Modi. RSS in fact has been busy preparing support base in the western countries for some years. Congress too has a strong following in US diaspora, but they are not so influential.The Indian American community has around 60 percent Hindu. While 10 percent is Muslim, 18 percent is Christian, and 5 percent is Sikh.

Indian Americans supported the Democrats, but post 2016, after Trump became the US President, they leaned towards Republicans. Obviously the shift in loyalty owed to their economic interests. Some of the reasons for Democrats losing favour among the Indian American community are their support for affirmative action in the education sector and over-use of the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in employment.

Notwithstanding Indian Americans demonstrating their unconditional support to Trump, the fact remains that he does not treat India more than a potential market, where he can dump the American waste. Of course, Indian US aficionado is not tired of claiming Trump as a well-wisher of India and does not nurse an anti-view, the fact is otherwise. What a coincidence the day Narendra Modi toasted Trump on his projected election win, and calling him a "friend" expressed hope for continued collaboration, the University of Massachusetts issued a travel advisory to Indian students along with students from other countries and faculty, asking them to return to campus from winter break before Trump takes office on 20 January. This advisory has been issued in apprehension of Trump administration slapping travel bans.

Indian students would be worst hit due to this policy decision of Trump. Since 2009, India has become the leading source of international students in the States, according to the latest Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange. The 2023-2024 academic year recorded 331,602 Indian students pursuing higher education at US institutions, marking a 23% rise from the previous year. The surge in Indian students is primarily attributed to a 19% increase in graduate student enrolment, which reached 196,567. Additionally, participation in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which allows students to gain work experience after graduation, grew by an impressive 41%, with 97,556 Indian students opting for the program. It obviously implied that it would put certain restrictions on the students going to US for studies.

Of Indian origin Kamala Harris was deprived of the opportunity to become the first woman president of the US, but Indian have managed to get another Lady, Usha Vance, as the vice president. Trump choosing Usha as his mate manifests that Indian Americans have become a political force there. They have five senators and 40 representatives in federal state legislatures. Nowhere in the world Indian diasporic are more important than in the United States. Most of the Indians are first-generation and second-generation Indian immigrants. Many occupy positions of prominence.

Trump’s real winning formula was the economic discontent that in India drives thousands of gifted young men to migrate every year, in the process losing all their money and sometimes their lives. About three in 10 American voters complain that their family’s financial situation is falling behind, an increase from about two in 10 four years ago, according to data from AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 US voters conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago.

Modi has been misusing and abusing state power in the same manner as Trump did in his first term, but the western rightist forces have been more ruthless and brutal in comparison to India. In India while the rightist forces, under the prevailing political ambience, have been primarily dependent on democracy and elections to spread in the country and finish the secular forces, in US the rightists under Trump would go to any extent and even twist the device of state power to restructure the existing governance mechanism, which suits the rightist forces.

What has really been surprising is the people of the countries in the South East Asia are exuberant at the victory of Trump. It is not that they are unaware of its consequences. India’s rightist forces are at the top of the heaven. The middle-class, rich and those belonging to the corporate and IT sectors are jubilant. They visualise that Trump’s victory would have wide ranging impact on Indian economy and social life. Rightist forces perceive it as opening of floodgate for their expansion in the South East. The recent developments in Bangladesh have simply boosted their moral. Just within a fortnight of the political upheaval in the neighbouring country RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had cautioned the new dispensation and asked them to ensure that interest of the Hindus are protected.

During the election campaigning, while Trump was presenting his rightist views before the voters and seeking their votes, the Indian rightist forces, especially the Hindus, were busy worshiping gods and goddesses and seeking their divine blessings for the victory of Trump. One could comprehend the happiness of the rightist elements and forces. But what made the Hindus, especially belonging to the middle class to extend their support is intriguing. The only plausible justification could be they love to live the rightist ethos and identify with their philosophy. This is very precarious situation and points to the fact that India and its polity are faced with the existential crisis.

US law generally prohibits active-duty troops from being deployed for law enforcement purposes. But Trump has his own perception and is not at all concerned of following the rules of traditional governance. Yet another “first action” he is going to implement is to declare national emergency on border security, use military for mass deportation of undocumented migrants. President-elect Donald Trump confirmed Monday that he plans to declare a national emergency on border security and use the US military to carry out a mass deportation of undocumented migrants.

An insight into Trump’s politics and policies would make it explicit that they are erratic and anti-people. Trump is aware that immigration is a reality and it cannot be stopped. But he is out to stop it as according to him they are basically anti rightists. Incidentally immigration was a top issue in the election campaign, and Trump has promised to deport millions and stabilize the border with Mexico after record numbers of migrants crossed illegally during President Joe Biden’s administration. It is worth referring a recent post by a conservative activist which was amplified byTrump. It says “the president-elect was prepared to declare a national emergency and will use military assets to reverse the Biden invasion through a mass deportation program."

As mentioned earlier the basic character of the rightist forces and right-wing politics in India and US is not one and the same. While in India these forces have to maintain restrain though it is against their nature. The basic reason is the mind set of an average Indian will not prefer to go against the traditional societal norms. They may nourish contempt for democracy and its values, but they are sure that ultimately they have to seek solace from it.

RSS the public face of the rightist ideals and philosophy has been preaching as well practicing the rightist politics for nearly a century, but it has not succeeded in penetrating the Indian society. Its impact and influence has been peripheral, only on the surface level. Hindus are of course a major component of this society. They are yet to reconcile to the rightist philosophy and ideals. This is yet another reason that rightist forces have been going slow. It is worth taking note that Donald has made attempts to trample the electoral process in US. People are yet to forget that how his rightist supporters had attacked U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. They disrupted a joint session of Congress convened to certify the results of the presidential election of 2020, which Trump had lost to his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden. Because its object was to prevent a legitimate president-elect from assuming office, the attack was widely regarded as an insurrection or attempted coup d’état.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other law-enforcement agencies also considered it an act of domestic terrorism. Just before that in a speech he had encouraged his supporters to march to the Capitol and violently resist Congress’s certification of Biden’s victory. Public face of the rightist forces, Trump had made many attempts to disregard people’s mandate. Donald Trump, who has emerged as the voice of the global right has been quite eager to jeopardize the electoral process in US. During the final lap of the campaign Trump had announced that he won’t accept the people’s verdict if it is contrary to his plans.

In India neither the RSS nor BJP, especially Modi could resort to this kind of politics. They know that the Indians are basically traditionalists and centrist in their approach and attitude. Modi during last eleven years of his rule made ever attempt to trample the democratic institutions, but ultimately he could not accomplish his mission. Unlike Trump, Modi could not dare to destroy democracy and elections. The CEC appointed by him managed to rig the election process and help Modi to install his party’s government in states, but he too had to maintain the façade of universality.

Did the Indians ever venture to look into and analyse the reason for Modi describing Trump as his best friend. He hugs the state chiefs of countries during his visit to their place, all are his friends, but significantly no one is his best friend. Narendra Modi is the staunch subscriber of the ideals and politics for which Trump stands. The only difference is Modi uses elections to come to power, though nurses strong contempt for it. He keeps it wrapped in the falsehood of nationalism. For rightist forces the presidential election was a “do or die” opportunity. They knew that their mission to conquer world would be miscarriage if they fail to get Trump elected. He was their “Ashvamedha” horse.

Like the saffron mercenaries groups in India, Trump has also prepared a group MAGA Militia; “Army For Trump”. The website used highly militarized imagery and language. Trump also uses militarized language in fundraising outreach. Anti-government militia groups, white nationalists, Proud Boys, Christian supremacists and QAnon-style conspiracy theorists all expressed a sense of jubilation mixed with an eagerness to exact vengeance on political opponents.

A question that is making rounds the global political circuit is: Why India’s Democracy is Dying? Before replying to this question, it has to be analysed whether really democracy exists in India. Global fraternity nurses the view that India is witnessing a democratic recession. To a great extent it is correct. The fact is India’s democracy has never been of very high-quality. The functioning and success of democracy depended on the ruler; who governs India? Peoples’ right to enjoy liberty and fundamental rights depended on the wishes of the rulers.

Usually, people tend to accept the right to dissent and protest as the sign of vibrant democracy. But it is not the whole truth. In a democratic structure, the people must have the right to survive and lead a decent life. Casting vote does not reflect the need of the people. Casting vote is merely a rhetoric. The peoples’ representative elected through democratic process is not supposed to believe democratic ethos. He is not even answerable to the people who voted him. True enough the democratic system serves the interest of the elected representative and nothing else.

It is usual refrain that media have circumscribed its criticism of Modi out of fear of intimidation and torture. Since 2014, India has fallen to 161st out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index, ranking below Afghanistan, Belarus, Hong Kong, Libya, Pakistan, and Turkey. Of course some journalists are tortured, even killed or made to languish in the jails for years. They in fact belong to the category of “few journalists”; for whom journalism is a mission, a worship, to fight for the poor and people living at the periphery of the societal structure.

Indian media has been basically rightist in character and vision. It does not intend to antagonise the rulers and political establishment. It has never been a threat to the establishment. Its criticism and expose of the government scams are more of the nature of friendly fight “noora kusti”. The independent Media Ownership Monitor finds in India “a significant trend toward concentration and ultimately control of content and public opinion.”

A question is frequently asked; Can Indian Democracy Be Saved? The answer is simple; since India does not have real and functional democracy, this question is irrelevant. Rulers of the country have turned democracy dysfunctional. It might appear to be an exaggeration. But move around the lanes and by lanes where lower income group of people live and also to the slums inhabited by the poor and dalit, the phrase “ democracy is not suited for India” echoes in the air.

One question is being asked in the social circle: why the rightist forces, especially RSS and BJP, are scared of Rahul Gandhi’s counter narrative of protecting constitution? Indian rightist forces are different in character and tenets in comparison to western rightist forces. Indian rightist forces cannot aspire to become ruthless and oppressive like their western counter parts. As I have said earlier the western rightist forces do not treat Indian rightist forces equal, at par, to them. They do not either have any respect for the Indian rightists. Had it not been the case, the Indian rightist forces during the ten years of Modi’s autocratic rule would have completely changed the character and identity of India. They would have given a shape to their philosophy of turning India into a Hindu Rashtra. May be some people would not agree to this observation, but it cannot be denied that Indian people do not have that nature of strength to stand and question rightist forces led by Modi on their face.

Rahul is aware of the impending danger and he is willing to fight the machinations of the rightist forces. But the main problem for him is he does not have a strong army to sacrifice for the cause. Besides the capitalist economy and globalisation have completely degenerated the sensibility of the people, especially the bourgeoning middle class. Yet another reason for keeping democracy functional is, it suits the needs of the middle class, which has emerged as the carrier of the rightist ideals and ethos. The people belonging to the OBC category, who have joined the rank of the middle class, might support Rahul’s narrative, but in their social and public lives they are averse to joining him as the foot soldiers. This has a class dynamics.

The extent to which the Indian diaspora has been communalised and adopted rightist philosophy is also manifest in their taking out a procession in the US carrying the image of bulldozer bearing the images of Modi and Yogi Adityanath in a procession in the US. Much to India’s disgrace, the politics of hate and communal divisiveness promoted by the RSS and Modi government is now manifesting itself on foreign soil through public actions by their supporters.

Nonetheless there is good news for Modi. Trump’s new Justice Department and SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) would withdraw the criminal and civil cases against Adani if the criminal or civil charges are deemed unworthy or defective. The President, as the federal executive, is constitutionally empowered to set foreign policy as well as prosecute through his state and justice departments. The bribery charge against Adani also raises the issue of extraterritorial application of American laws since the Indian tycoon and others involved in the case do not live here.