The relationship between India and the U.S. has not been as sturdy because it must be, Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar has mentioned, vowing that he’ll work to strengthen financial ties that profit each international locations and assist improve cooperation between their folks.
Mr. Thanedar, 67, represents the thirteenth Congressional District of Michigan, which primarily includes elements of Detroit and its suburbs. He was sworn in as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives early this month.
He turned the fifth Indian-American to be within the present Congress, becoming a member of 4 others: Dr. Ami Bera, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna and Pramila Jayapal.
“I think historically, this (India-U.S. relationship) has not been as strong a relationship as it needs to be. We are the two biggest democracies. India has a huge economic power. India now has the leadership of G-20,” Mr. Thanedar advised PTI.
His first month of within the House has been fairly historic as he voted 15 occasions to elect the Speaker. This week, he was made members of the 2 influential House committees: Small Business and Homeland Security.
“India has been recognized for its economic power. The United States would benefit. I think, the United States and India each will benefit by having strong mutual relationships: a relationship of trust, a mutual economic relationship, … more trade, mutual trade,” he mentioned.
“We have reached a high watermark now, with my election as the fifth Indian American …I want to use this opportunity to build strong India-United States relationships. I want to work very hard on that, and help commerce help the people of both countries be able to work together with a lot of trust, and a lot of cooperation,” Mr. Thanedar mentioned.
Mr. Thanedar’s is a rags-to-riches story. He arrived within the U.S. when he was 24-year-old primarily to flee poverty and monetary hardship he and his household have been going through.
Noting that he grew up in poverty in India, he mentioned his residence had no operating water, usually no electrical energy and the complete household of six brothers and sisters and fogeys lived collectively in a single home.
“There were times we didn’t know where our next meal is gonna come from. So, having grown up in poverty, having had the struggles that I have had, I understand the struggles of working families, I understand the tough choices that they need to make,” he mentioned.
Indian-Americans have contributed tremendously to the expansion and success of the United States and that’s nice, he mentioned.
“We have some of the best doctors. We have some of the best business people, academicians… But we also have as an immigrant, as a naturalised United States citizen, responsibility beyond economic success, beyond achieving our American dream. We also have an obligation to give back,” he mentioned.
A businessman-turned-politician, Mr. Thanedar mentioned he needs to spend the remainder of his life within the service of the folks of the nation.
As a lawmaker, he has mentioned his priorities areas are training, poverty alleviation and well being care. The constituency that he comes from has numerous folks residing in poverty.
Ultimately, it’s bettering the standard of life. Covid-19 hit arduous town of Detroit, particularly the black and brown communities, he mentioned.
“What Covid did was show us that in a nation as rich as the US, we have poverty, my district has 25% of people at or below the poverty level. We have this huge wealth gap,” he mentioned, as he slammed the Republicans for giving tax breaks to the wealthy, which has not been useful as nicely.
He mentioned the lives of individuals on the backside of the financial ladder haven’t modified for many years.
“We need to really approach it totally differently. We need to create opportunities at the bottom… that means trade education… We need to create a skill set so that people can get good-paying jobs. We need to start working on that, we need to create health insurance, we need to disconnect health insurance from employment,” he mentioned.
Mr. Thanedar mentioned no matter one’s employment standing, one ought to have well being protection, and nobody must be fearful if a giant healthcare disaster will make them bankrupt.
“No one has to worry, if they’re going to pay for their insulin, or their prescription medicine, or they’re going to pay for heat, or they’re going to pay for food, we should not be making those kinds of choices. Our residents should not have to make those conduct choices in a nation which is the world’s richest nation,” he mentioned.
“It just shows something where we have to pay more attention, we need to look at this differently. Not the top-down economics but more of lifting the bottom up and creating opportunities. Opportunities like entrepreneurship,” he mentioned.
“So we need to work on economic issues, first and foremost. Then we can talk about other issues that are just as important, like voting rights. We need to ensure that everyone has the freedom and ability to vote,” Mr. Thanedar mentioned.
Source: www.thehindu.com