Sunday Snippets:An Indian-origin POTUS!
By Venkatesh Raghavan
We were seated in our Irani Café, discussing the possibility of an ethnic Indian-origin businessman running for the US Presidential race. Our conversation went somewhat along these lines.
Amir: An ethnic Indian first assumed post of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. It seems the Americans too have taken their turn at it with an ethnic Indian businessman to run for the US Presidential polls on a Republican Party ticket. What do you make of it?
Me: You are referring to the 37-year-old millionaire, Vivek Ganapathy Ramaswamy. Look he has some brilliant ideas. Already without even assuming the high office he has rattled China by stating that every family in Taiwan should own and be trained to use AR-15 rifles to protect against a potential invasion by Beijing. A hassled China now says Taiwanese people should not be treated as cannon fodder.
Amir: You mean to say he will take care of Taiwan? But what about India?
Me: There are so many countries in the world. I feel with his elevation to the top post, Indians will no longer need to worry about employment. They can contest for the top jobs available in the West and other parts of the world.
Amir: You tend to forget that the number of unemployed youth in our country runs into millions. There’s no way the world will absorb millions of people to assume responsibility for their top jobs.
Me: You fail to see the collateral. With Indians holding top positions in various countries, they can arrange for the unemployed lot in our country to migrate and lead a comfortable life. In the long run, it will work out to be a favourable demographic when it comes to facing a fresh round of elections.
Amir: I am still not convinced. Many of these are semi-skilled or still worse, unemployable by global standards. Where do we come to stand?
Me: I would say, this will still work out better for our country. We can expand the scope of our rich demographic dividend.
Amir: You are talking in riddles. How and who will benefit from such debacles? It’s beyond the stretch of my imagination.
Me: Take it one at a time. First, those who graduate from professional courses and the semi-skilled who come out of lesser-known quarters will migrate to foreign destinations. The rest will have a field day, as tea vendors, sandwich sellers and snack sellers, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian in the land of their choice. Once you set up an industry that caters to migrating from their home country to all other parts of the world, you will also have ancillary support for such migrants that land up there.
Amir: I don’t understand whether you are trying to resolve our population overgrowth or the one arising from scarce employment opportunities.
Me: Actually it’s a double whammy. It will also give good creative ideas to our politicians. If they seem to be losing their electoral battle on their home turf, they can migrate and start endeavours to gain a parliamentary seat on foreign soil.
Amir: If that does happen, I strongly feel, “God save the King” will change to “God save our country”.
Me: You would have observed this trend in our own country. Natives of a state hardly work when they continue to live in their home state. However, when they migrate to our financial hub, namely Mumbai or other townships of economic activity, they work tirelessly and relentlessly. I see Indians emigrating to other countries, whether politicians or the business community following the same trend.
