Tips for Political Action for the
Indian American Community (Revised Edition)
Please note with care the following long but very lucid note circulated by my
friend Ram Narayanan. In terms of content, clarity and strategic vision the
epistle below is among the best that I have seen on lobbying strategy. Please do
circulate this to your friends. Those among you who are activists or have
friends who are, please develop specific local contact and
communication strategies based on the guidelines below.
[While not each of these strategies may be suitable for everyone, it is
practical information to keep in mind. Many of these points can be used
effectively or provide the means for additional ideas that can be used for those
of us who want to support the culture of India, or at least see that the
abundance of misinformation on India and its culture can be brought to a
minimum.]
The document has been compiled by the members of the GRNET to serve as a
reference guide for Indian American activists at the grassroots level in
promoting and strengthening US-India relations by building indestructible
bridges with their lawmakers and the media.
You may recall that the first edition of this document was circulated a little
over three months ago and was well received by the community.
Elections to the US House of Representatives (and some Senatorial
constituencies) are just TWO months away.
It is hoped that community activists - those who are in touch with their House
Representative and Senators, including campaign fund raisers and volunteers -
will find this POLITICAL ACTION AGENDA particularly useful in the next few weeks
as they get working on their lawmakers and the media to enhance the community's
political influence in the US political system.
DEVELOPING STATE AND LOCAL NETWORK:
1) Select members of the community should periodically meet with their
Senators/House Reps at the State capitals and in their Congressional districts.
Periodicity of such meetings could vary with circumstances. Fundraisers/campaign
contributors should be active participants in such meetings. The participants
should select by consensus one team coordinator or leader and one alternate team
coordinator or leader from amongst themselves. He or she should more or less be
the one contacting the office of the Senator/House Rep so that it is easier for
the aide to connect with the community.
2) If your Congressman/woman is not a member of the India Caucus in the House
of Representatives, ask him/her to consider joining the Caucus immediately or,
at least, support the stands taken by the India Caucus, (if he/she cannot join
the Caucus for the time being). He/she needs to send a letter to either
co-Chairmen of the Caucus, Jim McDermott (D-WA) or Edward Royce (R-CA). (For a
list of members of the Caucus, log on to the US-India Friendship website at
http://www.usindiafriendship.net, scroll down and click: 'Congress').
3) If your Congressman/woman is already a member of the Caucus urge him/her
to play a more active role, whenever and as much as he/she can, by speaking out
publicly through Congressional statements etc. about US-India relations. All
statements made by members of the India Caucus on issues relating to India or
US-India relations, since June 1999, are uploaded on the US India Friendship
website at http://www.usindiafriendship.net.
4) Keep regular track of the activities/statements made by your
Congressman/woman, so that these could be reviewed and commented upon when you
next meet him in his/her Congressional district. Contributions should be based
on the overall judgement of the group regarding the lawmaker's performance and
his/her attitude and activity on US-India relations. Likewise, your Senators.
5) Invite your Senators/ House Rep to community functions. This point can
never be over-stressed.
6) Recalling former Speaker of the House of Representatives Tip O' Neal's
famous dictum that "All politics is local", it's important that the
community works and interacts with lawmakers and officials at the state and
local levels. State Governors, State Senators and State Assembly Legislators
provide critical support to US Senators and Congressmen. They are in close touch
with the people at state and local levels and listen carefully to their views
and opinions. This could add another dimension to the strategy of making Indian
Americans politically more visible and influential.
7) Arising from the previous point, frequent interaction of local Indian
American community with the local American community and politicians via mixing
cultural and sports activities with political action has been successfully tried
by Indian American groups in some areas. The idea is to bring into their fold
Americans and American politicians through cultural programs and organizing
tournaments (tennis, ping-pong, carrom, even cricket -yes, cricket!). And this
approach of bridging diversity through cultural shows and social activities has
worked.
8) Take advantage of extensive networking and broader community opportunities
by joining local chapters of organizations such as Lions Club, Rotary Club,
Kiwanis International, International House, etc., which will help raise the
Indian American community's profile and thus gain a stronger voice that can
influence public policy on US-India related as well as other issues.
AGENDA ISSUES:
1) US-India relations are passing through a unique phase in the sense that
perhaps, for the first time since the independence of India, there is a positive
attitude both within the Administration and Congress toward relations with
India. House Reps and Senators should use this opportunity to speak out publicly
through statements on the Congressional record, resolutions etc., commending
various initiatives in advancing the relationship. These include initiatives in
defense cooperation, counterterrorism, economic activity, science and
technology, etc.
2) After September 11 and December 13, the campaign against terrorism has
emerged as a major area of convergence of interest between the two countries.
India has been a victim of cross-border terrorism for over two decades.
Pakistan's alliance with the US in the campaign in Afghanistan has
been purely tactical. There has been no let-up in Pakistan-sponsored
terrorism against India, which if not stopped completely, will ultimately hurt
other countries including the US. Congressmen should be urged to make this
distinction clear in their statements. There can be no moral equivalence between
a sponsor of terrorism and a victim of terrorism.
3) While highlighting the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, Indian
Americans should not come across as being anti Pakistani per se. They need to
let the lawmakers know that we understand that it is in the interest of America
to work with Gen. Musharraf as long as he cooperates without any reservation in
America's worldwide war against terrorism. But the lawmakers need to be informed
about Pakistan's perfidious role in creating terrorist groups (and in having
conceived and patronized the Taliban rule in Afghanistan). They also need to be
advised that the overwhelming proportion of the so-called freedom fighters in
Jammu & Kashmir are foreign nationals brought in by Pakistan-based terrorist
groups.
4) While US economic assistance to Pakistan is understandable, supply of
military equipment and spares to Pakistan would impact on India's security as
defense supplies from the US in the past have only been used against India.
India's security concerns resulting from supply of arms and military equipment
to Pakistan should be highlighted to Congressmen (and Senators).
5) In all that Indian Americans do, the point needs to be emphasized and
re-emphasized that it is in America's vital interest to have India as an ally.
When Indian Americans lobby they lobby as Americans in the interest of America
and since both India and America are multi-religious, multi-cultural secular
democracies facing a common threat from terrorism, the interests of both the
nations converge.
6) Congressional statements on India sometimes tend to focus on developments
in a purely South Asian context, which normally means India and Pakistan.
India's relations with the US are independent of Pakistan's relations with the
US. This is no longer a "hyphenated" relationship. The lawmakers
should, therefore, be persuaded to focus on the US-India relationship rather
than on the India-Pakistan relationship. Comparisons between India and Pakistan
are not relevant.
7) Another favourite subject of some lawmakers is the nuclear issue, in which
again India and Pakistan tend to be bracketed. Recent examples are Sec. 601 of
the Senate version of the Security Assistance Act and attempts to extend the
Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction programme to India and Pakistan. China,
which is a major source of proliferation to Pakistan, is hardly mentioned.
India's security concerns are likewise addressed within the very narrow
framework of India-Pakistan relations. The China factor must not be ignored.
Congressmen should be briefed on India's larger role in the Asian and Indian
Ocean Region, its record of strictly civilian control over nuclear assets, the
democratic framework of its decision-making structures, its record of
responsible governance and its reputation for peace and stability in the region.
Also the growing naval cooperation between the United States and India in the
Indian Ocean Region with the India Navy protecting US ships in the Malacca
Straits.
8) The Jammu & Kashmir issue is another one that features frequently in
Congress, often at the instance of Pakistan. Congressmen should be sensitized to
the fact that Jammu & Kashmir is an integral part of the Indian Union and
Pakistan has been in illegal occupation over a part of the State for over five
decades. India, at the same time, is committed to peaceful resolution of its
differences with Pakistan through dialogue. India will, however, not tolerate
terrorism as a legitimate vehicle to resolve these differences.
9) Some lawmakers (Dan Burton, Edolphus Towns, John Dolittle, Major Owens and
Cynthia McKinney) have regularly been slandering India in the House of
Representatives at the instance of separatist organizations like the so-called
Council of Khalistan. Only a few Representatives friendly to India have been
rebutting these statements. These have not so far stopped the Representatives
named above from raising these clearly false concerns. It would be useful for
them to receive a blunt message from the community about discontinuance of
support.
10) Whenever the few India-unfriendly lawmakers (such as those mentioned in
the previous para) take to the floor to make repetitive, wild and slanderous
statements about India, that are clearly in opposition to Indian and Indian
American interests, have a negative impact on US-India relations and otherwise
jeopardize the reputation and goodwill of India and Indian Americans, the Indian
American community should encourage their lawmakers (especially if the latter
are members of the India Caucus) to get on the record statements that
effectively rebut the unfounded allegations. A point that can never be
overstresed is that India has been and will always remain a tolerant and secular
society like the United States.
11) A flexible approach needs to be our hallmark. Some of the unfriendly
lawmakers are not virulently anti-India like the ones mentioned above, but are
still not that well disposed toward India. Indian Americans should try to win
them over by developing personal friendships and helping them on local issues.
This approach has worked for Indian Americans with Rep Dana Rohrabacher. He is
not as vocal as before.
12) Congressmen, State Governors, State Legislators and Mayors should be
encouraged to lead trade missions to India to take advantage of the huge
untapped potential in the economic and commercial fields. In the final analysis,
it's economic cooperation and trade that's going to make the US-India
relationship unassailable. It will help build the most powerful constituency
ever in favor of India in the US. The focus should be on US capitalizing on the
brain power of India to design new products (high tech, biotech, engineering
design etc.), expanding two-way trade, highlighting India's economic strengths
and reminding the Federal and State lawmakers and other important functionaries
where India is heading (India is currently the fourth largest economy in the
world, based on purchasing power parity).
13) In the final analysis, he who pays the piper calls the tune. The more
funds Indian Americans generate for the lawmakers, the more they will listen to
us. While many Indian Americans do it on their own, not all mention the Indian
cause. This is where there is a need to lay down common objectives.
14) In addition to or apart from funding, volunteering and other ways of
extending help are becoming important and well appreciated by pro-India
congressional candidates.
15) A close watch should, of course, be kept on print and audio-visual media,
both regional and national, to ensure a balanced projection of India.
Maintaining regular interaction with editors/journalists/radio and TV show hosts
and program producers to convey the community's perspective on issues of concern
will prove to be helpful in the long run. Commendatory/corrective action should
be initiated immediately by writing letters and meeting the concerned media
personalities whenever any thing good or distortions come to notice.
16) Equally important, with reference to the media, is for Indian Americans
to be pro-active in developing letters to the editor (perhaps, also pieces that
may be considered by newspapers/magazines fit enough to be published as op-eds/articles)
that will initiate an idea favorable to US-India relations to be followed up by
others. For tips on writing and publishing effective letters to the editor and
op-eds and how to take action to the airwaves, visit: http://www.usindiafriendship.net/media/media.html.
ACHIEVING OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS/REACH
1) In some parts of the country, Indian American activists' groups at the
grassroots level have set up a mechanism to instantly reach the local Indian
American community and Friends of India by developing "a telephone contact
pyramid". It works in the following manner: Five of the prominent activists
will each have the numbers for 10 people whom they know, who in turn have
numbers for 10 they know and so on. Just imagine, if one takes this process just
three or four levels deep, how many thousands can be reached with just 10
telephone calls per person. That's how networks can be effectively developed.
Similar mechanism will enable rapid gathering of signatures on petitions,
letters etc.
2) Many US cities (and their suburbs) have multiple Indian American community organizations, each with mailing lists of their own. How does the grassroots activists' networks tie in affiliations with the community organizations in order to be able to react as needed in a pinch? The members of the activist's' network will each take the responsibility of meeting and cultivating the leaders of just two or three organizations. If there are five activists that would make 10-15 organizations. That way they are able to reach most of the community for a rally or a townhall meeting with a House Representative or Senator.