Dear Mr. Gandhi

First of all we take this opportunity to thank you for your recent visit to North America to enable a direct connection with the Indian diaspora in North America, one of the largest contingents of Indian diaspora living outside India. 

We would also like to congratulate and thank you for emerging as a ray of hope for India and secular minded Indians in 2024. In the last federal elections, the re-emergence of Congress from the ashes to which it was thrown by the hate and bigotry filled politics of BJP and the right wing, is truly a story written by the emergence of RAHUL, a leader whose ideological stands are inspiring and whose genuine desire to connect with the grass root- the ordinary Indian and Indian origin people is something which is a game changer.

We write to you from Canada with a desire to convey the views of many Indo-Canadians who see in the new Congress party, you, Mr. Kharge and the emerging leadership, a hope that we can return to the peaceful, secular India which the world always looked up to as a role model for an inclusive world.

Canada as you may be aware has more than 2 million people of Indian origin and unlike India, TWO-THIRDS of these people come from the so labelled ‘Minorities’ in India– Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, non-religious, Buddhists, et al. Even amongst the remaining one-third people of Hindu community, there is a silent majority which truly believes in equality and respect for all and dislikes the hateful narrative that Hindutava ideology is trying to instill.

But alas, as you are aware Hindutava, a project of Hindu supremacy has been casted not just in hate, bigotry and double speak but also has been build brick by brick by the relentless work of RSS and its offshoots like HSS all across the world. That gives them the power of making greater noise, bullying the community members and creating an environment of fear in which, not just in India but also outside India, community members resist from speaking up against them.

2024 has given TRUE HOPE. That once again we can contain and eradicate the virus of hate and that Modi/BJP/RSS can be pushed out and relegated to the dustbin of history where they truly belong by a people’s movement which focuses on IDEOLOGY AND SATYAGRAH and sheds the baggage of the past including leaders not aligned with a new world.

Today INDIA and Indians need a greater FOCUS in the movement and some of the biggest concerns that we as Indo-Canadian have and would request you to focus on in the times ahead are-

1.      WOMEN SAFETY– It is a matter of absolute shame and disgust that today this has become the greatest concern for ordinary citizens. Congress must take a strong stance on this and also ENSURE that Congress led states set an example in enabling a comfort zone for women. This is an exercise which should NOT be relegated to the states only but also should be closely monitored at the Federal level in the party by a strong women representative.

2.      PROTECTION OF MINORITIES & SECULAR MINDED CITIZENS– The bulldozer politics, regular lynching of Muslims, demeaning our farmers and calling them separatists, targeting Dalit lands and properties and trying ways to remove long earned constitutional rights, regularly abusing and trolling even killing voices from all communities that speak up has created an environment where India is slowly becoming a land of hate. That needs to change and Congress MUST and WE REPEAT MUST in strong words, speak out regularly and constantly in and outside Parliament against demonizing of ordinary citizens and lead full SUPPORT to the muted.

3.      EMPOLYMENT, GROWTH AND SOCIAL WELFARE– India is today a leading example of a world where inequalities have grown manifold and where total power rests completely in the hands of a select few capitalist who have used a friendly government to build vast wealth for themselves while making the bottom go further down in depths of gloom. In a country which boasts of LARGEST number of billionaires in Asia, even today more than 60% population is dependent on 5 kgs of free ration which the government offers as ‘dole’. Congress has to work to ENSURE all round development and especially of the MASSES as that is the ONLY WAY possible for a peaceful and progressive society. HUNGER, UNEMPLOYMENT and HOMELESSNESS are words that should be thrown out of the dictionary of ordinary Indians.

4.      BOTTOMS UP, DEMOCRATIC, IDEOLOGY BASED CONGRESS– History is a proof that with a scent of power, Congress explodes and petty leaders take over party base and try and control all aspects of it. This is an issue that affects Congress working all over the world including its offshoot branches. True and lasting change can only emerge and CONTINUE when the ordinary worker is heard and ideology, democracy and honesty are made SACROSANT.

5.      MISTREATMENTS OF PIO’s– Harassment and mistreatment of PIOs by Indian embassy staff, even staff of BLS who assist in the process is now not just a common problem but a disease.  OCI & PIO cards were merged and for Indian diaspora who possess them, their renewal is a huge problem especially when one does not have a local India address, a problem which many people face. Parliament and Indian government must address this and always remember that while you may take PRIDE in the SOFT POWER that India has outside India, yet there should also be DECENCY and RESPECT for people who ARE that SOFT POWER.

We the Indian diaspora worldwide especially in Canada look forward to a Congress that becomes a voice of the ordinary and offer FULL SUPPORT to the cause. We will stand by you and walk with you shoulder to shoulder so long as you fight the good fight and treat everyone EQUALLY irrespective of their religion, race, class, caste, and gender, sexual or even eating preferences.

Yours truly,        INDO CANDIAN SUPPORTERS OF INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS