2022 huge year for US-India ties, 2023 to be even bigger: White House
Washington (PTI): In the history of India-US ties, 2022 has been a huge year and the next year will be even bigger, a top White House official has said, asserting that the Biden administration sees this alliance as among the most consequential relationships for America anywhere in the world.
Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer also applauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for being instrumental in forging a consensus during the recently concluded G-20 Summit in Indonesia's Bali province.
"Looking around the world when the United States and (its) President (Joe) Biden look for partners that can truly help carry the load, truly helped move forward a global agenda, India and Prime Minister Modi are very high on that list," Finer told a gathering of several hundred Indian-Americans here on Sunday.
"We just saw this in real-time at the G-20 where the prime minister was instrumental in forging a consensus around a joint statement among a far-flung group of countries and in the comments and work that the prime minister has done and others in the Indian government have done to highlight the increasing risk related to nuclear issues," he said.
This relationship is being steered by Prime Minister Modi and President Biden who have met more than 15 times, the latest one being in Bali last week, said India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, addressing the gathering at a lunch reception hosted by him to celebrate the 'Festival Season'.
The unique event organised by the Embassy of India showcased the syncretic nature of Indian culture. The event saw festivals of different faiths - from Diwali to Hanukkah, Eid to Bodhi day, and from Gurpurab to Christmas celebrated with aplomb.
Attended by top officials of the Biden administration, including Senior Advisor to the President Neera Tanden and Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy, the event demonstrated amply India's unique stature as the embodiment of 'Unity in Diversity' - a land where various faiths have not only coexisted but flourished.
"This event really demonstrates so much about what President Biden is talking about when he talks about an inclusive country, a country that celebrates our diversity and our strength in diversity," Tanden said.
"I'm grateful for this partnership between the United States and India. I think it has been important in the past, but it will be even more important going forward," Murthy said.
Reflecting on his views on the India-US relationship, Finer reiterated the administration's commitment to it and said 2022 and 2023 are two critical years for this.
"The year 2022 was huge in US-India relations. We think we have an even bigger year ahead in 2023. We have the Quad summit on the agenda coming up. We have India's G20 presidency, which I know we're all looking forward to, including Prime Minister Modi," Finer said in his address.
He referred to the 2+2 Quad ministerial meetings taking place this spring, the relaunch of Indi US CEO dialogue and launch of critical and emerging technology dialogue early in 2023.
"That's just the tip of the iceberg," Finer said, adding that both 2022 and 2023 are emblematic of how this relationship has proceeded for decades now.
The entire Biden administration and certainly the president sees this as among the most consequential relationships for the US anywhere in the world, but also almost uniquely one of the relationships that still retains some of the greatest potential to continue to evolve and strengthen and improve, Finer said.
"We are deeply committed to doing just that. It's easy to see why that is the case. At a time that can be extremely difficult to forge a bipartisan consensus in Washington on almost anything, there is a strong bipartisan consensus in support of the US-India relationship and has been for decades and a high degree of continuity from one administration to the next," he said.
"There is obviously an increasing alignment of our interests, both geopolitically and as two world-leading democracies. And then, of course, the deep ties and incredible dynamism of our diaspora community, our cultural ties or commercial ties.
"And then finally, and I don't want this to be lost, there are the ties of our leadership, which we consider to be hugely important," he said.
Among those who attended the event included an array of important dignitaries, with friends of India from the administration, the US Congress, from different states, the think-tank community, private sector organisations, and the Indian diaspora.
Notable attendees included Special Presidential Coordinator Amos Hochstein and Lieutenant Governor-Elect of Maryland Aruna Miller.
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RG Kar protests: TMC faces unprecedented challenge, situation creates space for new political force
Kolkata (PTI): The rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Hospital has triggered massive public outrage in West Bengal, creating a major political crisis for the ruling TMC and posing one of the biggest challenges to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's leadership since she took office in 2011.
The incident sparked a sustained mass movement transcending political affiliations, with citizens from all walks of life demanding justice and accountability, and its grassroots intensity and lack of overt political banners have made it the most formidable civil movement since Banerjee's rise to power, exposing deep-seated frustrations over governance and safety under her administration.
Political observers and leaders believe the sustained mass movement following the tragedy has created fertile ground for a new political party in West Bengal driven by ordinary citizens, students, and professionals disillusioned with the ruling TMC and opposition BJP and CPI(M).
"The movement's strength lies in its independence from traditional political banners, reflecting a broad demand for justice, transparency, and effective governance. It has exposed a leadership vacuum in the existing opposition parties that a new party could potentially fill by aligning with the protesters' calls for accountability," political scientist Maidul Islam said.
The young doctor, whose body was found on August 9, was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty. A civic volunteer was arrested by Kolkata Police the next day.
The public reaction was intense, with thousands of medical professionals, students, activists, and ordinary citizens flooding the streets of Kolkata and other cities in protests marked by poignant displays of grief and anger.
Initially "slow and controversial" in its response, the TMC's handling of the case has been widely criticised as inadequate and reactive.
The CM's public condemnation and promises of swift justice failed to quell public anger or restore faith in her administration's ability to protect its citizens.
A senior TMC leader told PTI on condition of anonymity that "while Kolkata Police arrested the main accused within 24 hours", administrative missteps and allegations from the victim's parents led to a public perception of government cover-up.
This left the party and administration struggling to counter the mass movement and on the defensive.
TMC spokesperson Krishanu Mitra defended the party's commitment to justice by stating that "the protests prove there is a democratic space for agitation in West Bengal, unlike BJP-ruled states".
However, he admitted that the incident has put the TMC in a tight spot, despite its strong popular support, as opposition forces work to capitalise on the tragedy.
The incident has also brought out differences within the ruling TMC.
TMC deputy leader in Rajya Sabha, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, faced party backlash after publicly supporting the 'Reclaim the Night' programme and calling for the CBI to question arrested former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, and Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal.
Meanwhile, his colleague Jawhar Sircar announced his resignation from the Rajya Sabha and exited politics, citing frustration with the state government's inaction against corrupt doctors.
"This incident poses one of the biggest challenges for the party as it is coming from a non-political force," a TMC leader said.
Opposition parties BJP and CPI(M) have swiftly capitalised on the tragedy to criticise the TMC's governance, launching aggressive campaigns that accuse the ruling party of failing to ensure basic safety for women.
"This is a direct consequence of the TMC's failure to provide a secure environment. Banerjee, who is also the home minister, must resign immediately," senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said at a rally.
The CPI(M) emphasised the systemic governance failures that the incident has highlighted.
Political analysts pointed out that the opposition parties have failed to penetrate the mass movements organised by civil society, common people, and doctors.
"The RG Kar incident has again brought to the fore the power of civil society movements, which, during the last 13 years of the TMC regime, had been absent. Additionally, the failure of the BJP and CPI(M) to take the lead in this spontaneous mass movement has shown that people are yearning for a new political force to challenge the TMC," political scientist Biswanath Chakraborty said.
Echoing similar views, political analyst Suman Bhattacharya said that although there is a visible dent in TMC's urban votes, especially among women, the CPI(M) and BJP are unlikely to benefit from this.
"There is a visible attempt to build a new political force to take on the TMC, which can appeal to both liberal voters who are apathetic towards the BJP and a section of disillusioned urban and semi-urban voters who want an alternative to the TMC-BJP binary," he said.
Mitra also acknowledged that there is an attempt to create a new political force, but whether this effort will succeed remains to be seen.
Speaking about the future of the stir, Rimjhim Sinha, who launched the 'Reclaim the Night' initiative, described it as a new fight for women's freedom.
"I don't want to talk about politics, but the fact remains that all the political parties have failed to fight for the cause and rights of women. If the parties are not serious about fighting for our rights, we will fight it out on our own," she added.
