The Indian Panorama

Tag: Ami Bera

  • Indian American-Led “Democrats for Truth” Attacks Ami Bera

    Indian American-Led “Democrats for Truth” Attacks Ami Bera

    Congressman Ami Bera, running for reelection in the state of California has come under attacks by his own party men, this time, surprisingly by a group led by an Indian American, “Sacramento Democrats For Truth.” Led by Amar Shergill, a former Bera supporter an Indian-American, the new group has launched an attack on Rep. Ami Bera, D-California, on grounds he has “refused” to provide documentation about his overseas trips and that donors to his campaign had overseas interests.

    Bera’s support among local Democrats in his district suffered a blow when local unions refused to endorse him for his vote in favor of President Obama’s Trans Pacific Partnership trade pact. Bera is now relying on getting enough support at the state party convention Feb. 26-28, to get re-nominated for his third term race. He is unopposed.

    California’s District 7 is almost equally divided along party lines and has a significant uncommitted voter base, has proved a tough seat and Bera has won with small margins. Republicans have targeted the district for takeover.

    Ami Bera won reelection over a year ago with a razor thin margin. Now with strong opposition from both Democrats, Labor Unions and Republicans, his reelection bid in the November 2016 election has come to be recognized as even harder. The National Republican Congressional Committee’s (NRCC) ad has tried to distort Bera’s record of finding bipartisan solutions and protecting and strengthening Medicare and defending against efforts to privatize Social Security.

    “Congressman Ose’s DC Republican backers are just repeating the same tired old lies,” said Bera spokesperson Allison Teixeira. “They are resorting to more misleading attacks to try to distract voters from Ose’s partisan record of voting with his political party nearly 95 percent of the time while helping enrich himself and his Wall Street friends, and voting to privatize Social Security.”

    According to Rep. Bera’s website, Bera has a clear record of finding bipartisan solutions to our nation’s challenges as a leader of the Problem Solvers’ No Labels coalition, and is one of the most moderate members of Congress. He is also an ardent defender of Social Security and Medicare, recently announcing the support of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM) and the Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA) because he has been “a leader in the fight to preserve and protect Social Security and Medicare,” and has “a proven record of fighting plans that would end the Medicare guarantee for our seniors.”

    In a press release, the Sacramento Democrats For Truth said that despite requests from some party delegates, Bera “has refused to provide documents describing payments for his overseas trips, with whom he meets and his political contributors with more than $1 million in assets overseas.” The group said they had gone through Bera’s campaign finance filings, and remain “troubled by contributions from those that appear to be closely connected to foreign investment funds and foreign nations.”

    Bera calls the accusations unfounded and that all regulations relating to foreign trips had been complied with and quarterly filings with the Federal Elections Commission were public. Even Shergill conceded that Bera would get the state party endorsement this coming weekend. “At the state convention, it’s very likely the party establishment will rescue his endorsement and he will get it even though he is rejected by his local Democrats,” Shergill said.

    Shergill’s list of 9 contributors to Bera, virtually all of them venture capitalists, showed none of them had given money to SuperPACs with overseas interests. Rather, they had contributed the maximum allowed, $2,700 to Bera and given large amounts to Democratic Party or Democratic candidate SuperPACs.

    “All of the Congressman’s contributions are publicly available and disclosed on a quarterly basis, and as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee he complies with all travel disclosure rules,” Congressman Bera’s campaign manager Jerid Kurtz said. “It’s unfortunate that the same detractors that worked against the Congressman since 2014 are continuing to lob baseless accusations,” Kurtz added.

  • PM’s visit strengthened Indo-US bonds: American lawmakers

    PM’s visit strengthened Indo-US bonds: American lawmakers

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s just concluded US visit has strengthened the bonds between the two largest democracies of the world and opened up new avenues of co-operation, top American lawmakers have said.

    “There are many different areas and sectors where the US and India’s growing friendship will cover mutually beneficial ground. Prime Minister Modi’s second visit to the US has allowed us to continue to strengthen those bonds and explore new opportunities for us to work together,” Democratic Congresswoman from Hawaii, Tulsi Gabbard, said.

    Gabbard is the first ever Hindu Congresswoman elected to the US House of Representatives. She was among the top American lawmakers to have met Modi and attended his address to the community at SAP Center in San Jose, California.

    During her meeting with Modi, she and other members of Congress discussed plans to build US-India relations and promote technology partnerships.

    “Prime Minister’s 2-day tour of Silicon Valley included meetings with technology executives who offered their ideas and assistance in bringing India fully into the digital world,” she said.

    Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, who also met Modi in San Jose, said Modi’s visit to Silicon Valley is symbol of the collaboration and cooperation between the US and India.

    “Innovation and entrepreneurship are values that both of our countries excel at and serve as a model for,” he said.

    Among the members of Congress who attended the event were Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi; Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Ami Bera and George Holding, co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Indians and Indian Americans; Eric Swalwell; Mike Honda and Jim McDermott.

    Congressman Matt Salmon said the India and the US were natural partners. “Our growing cooperation on issues like counter-terrorism, peacekeeping, and maritime security is a positive development for the region and the world,” he said.

    “At the same time, our economic and commercial ties have not kept pace with our deepening political ties,” he said.

    “I am pleased to support the elevation of commercial issues in the recently concluded first US-India Strategic and Economic Dialogue and Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the US, where he heard ideas first-hand from entrepreneurs and business leaders in Silicon Valley on how we might advance our economic relationship,” Salmon said.

    Following her meeting with Modi over the weekend, Congressman John Garamendi said that he raised the concerns of about the treatment of religious and ethnic minorities in India with the Prime Minister. He is Sikh Caucus Co-Chair.

    “I appreciate that Prime Minister Modi gave me the opportunity to discuss these critical issues. Rest assured that he knows where I stand and that the message of my constituents was heard loud and clear,” he said.

  • Indian-American woman announces Congressional bid

    Indian-American woman announces Congressional bid

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Indian-American Mary Thomas, a government attorney in Florida, has said that she will run for the US Congressional elections in November 2016.

    If elected, Thomas, whose parents arrived in American from India in 1972, would be the first woman Indian-American lawmaker to be a member of the US House of Representatives.

    Born in Charleston, South Carolina, 37-year-old Thomas is a Republican. She is pitted against incumbent Gwen Graham of the Democratic Party, who wrested the Second Congressional District of Florida from Republican Steve Southerland in 2014.

    Thomas, a personal friend of Florida governor Rick Scott, told local media that she is hoping to create history by becoming the first Indian-American woman to be elected to the US Congress. So far only three Indian-Americans elected to the US Congress are Dalip Singh Saundh, Bobby Jindal and Ami Bera. From California, Bera is the only Indian American in the current Congress.

    “I’m a conservative Republican, a Christian, a wife, mother, and a lawyer. If elected, I would be the first Indian-American woman ever elected to Congress. This would truly be a historic event,” Thomas said during her campaign announcement in Florida last week.

    Thomas’s parents, Tom and Annie Thomas are physicians who immigrated from India in 1972.

  • US lawmakers push for export of natural gas to India

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Influential American lawmakers have pushed for removing of restrictions on export of natural gas to India and sought to implement the civil nuclear deal to meet the country’s ever-growing energy needs.

    Referring to fast tracking of economic reforms and acceleration of development by India, Chairman of powerful House Foreign Relations Committee Ed Royce said nuclear energy is important to have uninterrupted power supply.

    Speaking at a Congressional briefing on India-US nuclear trade organized by the US-India Political Action Committee, Royce and other Congressmen hoped that the remaining hurdles in the implementation of the civil nuclear trade would soon be removed so that the full potential of nuclear energy could be realized by India.

    Congressman Mike Honda exuded confidence about the optimistic future of civil nuclear co-operation.

    The lawmakers also pushed for export of natural gas to India.

    “Export of liquefied natural gas would have a very important impact on India,” said Congressman Ami Bera, the only Indian-American lawmaker in the current Congress.

    Excited about the prospects of increase in energy trade with India, Congressman Pete Olson hoped that before this year end the first ship with American natural gas would be shipped to India.

    Olson said the US has energy and technology to ensure that every Indian has the electricity they need. “I am committed to improve India US relationship,” he said.

    Congressman Ted Poe from Texas also batted for export of natural gas from the US to India.

    Calling for expediting the process of exporting natural gas to India, he said he has introduced legislation in this regard.

    In his remarks, BJP Lok Sabha MP Udit Raj said that the relationship between India and the US is not only important for the two countries, but also for the entire world. Transfer of nuclear technology would help India in many ways, he said.

    Referring to the speeches by US lawmakers, Raj said they are very enthusiastic to strengthen relationship with India. -PTI

  • Vaisakhi resolution introduced in US House

    Vaisakhi resolution introduced in US House

    Washington (TIP): Sixteen US lawmakers led by Democrat John Garamendi have introduced a resolution in the US House of Representatives, honouring the Sikh group’s celebration of Vaisakhi.

    The bipartisan resolution was co-sponsored amongst others by the lone Indian-American Congressman Ami Bera, Democratic co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, one of many largest in Congress with greater than one hundred eighty members.

    “America’s founding beliefs of freedom of worship, equality, and justice are mirrored in the Sikh American group’s celebration of Vaisakhi,” stated Garamendi, co-chair of the American Sikh Congressional Caucus.

    “I am proud to characterize one of many largest Sikh communities in the nation. I have partnered with the group on many points, together with civil liberties, schooling, and enterprise improvement,” he stated.

    “Sikhs are an integral a part of the American material, and we invite our fellow Americans to study extra about their Sikh neighbours by visiting their native gurdwaras and partnering with us on group service tasks,” stated Rajdeep Singh, senior director of regulation and coverage on the Sikh Coalition.

    The resolution notes that Sikhism based in the Punjab area of South Asia over 5 centuries in the past was introduced to the US in the nineteenth century.

    Sikhism is the fifth largest world faith with roughly 25 million adherents from numerous backgrounds all through the world, together with 500,000 adherents in the US, it stated.

    Sikhs in the US pursue numerous professions and walks of life, making wealthy contributions to the financial vibrancy as farmers, engineers, docs, scientists, and enterprise house owners, the resolution famous.

    Sikh Americans proceed to make strides towards securing spiritual liberty as patriotic members of the US Armed Forces, it stated.

     

  • Indian-American Physicians’ Role Praised by US Lawmakers

    Indian-American Physicians’ Role Praised by US Lawmakers

    WASHINGTON:  US lawmakers have lauded Indian-origin American physicians for their role in passage of a bill by the Congress that reformulates the way physicians are reimbursed for a government health insurance for seniors.

    Several US lawmakers – including Nisha Desai Biswal,Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, and Ami Bera, the lone Indian-American physician in the US Congress –  praised them for their hard work and their constant efforts to make healthcare affordable.

    “We are extremely delighted and grateful to the US Congress for passing this historic measure,” said Ravi Jahagirdar, President of the Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) urging the US Senate to take up the bill and pass it without delay.

    The legislation requires the Senate approval to repeal medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) currently in use and would reformulate how physicians are reimbursed for Medicare, a government health insurance for seniors over 65.

    The passage of SGR bill came on March 26. The SGR formula places a cap on spending for physicians services, according to an AAPI statement.

    “AAPI has been a tremendous organisation for what you do here in the United States and for what you do in India and for what you do to improve and extend the US-India relationship,” Biswal said in her keynote address.

    Bera shared his own personal experience of growing up to be a physician and how he got elected in a district that has only 1 per cent Indian-Americans.

    “My story is your story and our story is that of the entire nation,” he said, adding: “I want my legacy to be how the generation is going to take us all to the next level and have many more Indian Americans get elected to the Congress.”

    AAPI is the largest ethnic organisation of physicians, representing over 100,000 physicians, fellows and students of Indian-origin in the US, who have been lobbying for the repeal of SGR formula for years.

  • FBI to track hate crimes against Sikhs, Hindus, Arabs

    FBI to track hate crimes against Sikhs, Hindus, Arabs

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Six US lawmakers along with leading advocacy groups have welcomed the inclusion of Sikh, Hindu, and Arab American communities in the Department of Justice’s hate crimes tracking effort.

    This is the final step in the long-fought effort to encourage the US federal government to finally begin tracking and quantifying hate crimes against these at-risk communities, the lawmakers said at an event on Capitol Hill Wednesday, March 25.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently updated its hate crimes database and FBI training manual in order to start tracking hate crimes committed against these groups – that system is now fully operational.

    Ami Bera, the lone Indian-American member of the US House of Representatives, along with fellow House members Joe Crowley, Bill Pascrell, Mike Honda, Grace Meng and John Garamendi attended the event. These lawmakers led a Congressional effort to encourage the Department of Justice and FBI to document hate crimes against Sikh, Hindu, and Arab Americans.

    They spearheaded numerous letters to the DOJ and FBI and introduced a Congressional resolution in the wake of the tragic August 2012 massacre in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and submitting testimony urging action on hate crimes.

    In 2011, two elderly Sikh Americans, Gurmej Atwal and Surinder Singh, were shot and killed while out for a walk in Elk Grove, California, a part of Bera’s constituency, in a suspected hate crime that is still unsolved.

    “Since the September 11th attacks, too many Americans, especially Sikh, Hindu and Arab-Americans, have been wrongfully subjected to hate crimes and discrimination, including the shooting of two Sikh Americans in my own city,” Bera said.

    “Religious tolerance is a fundamental value of our nation and we must do everything we can to prevent these crimes motivated by bias against a victim’s religious beliefs,” he said.

    “Until now, anti-Sikh hate crimes were not recognized by the FBI,” said Rajdeep Singh, Director of Law and Policy at the Sikh Coalition.

    “For the first time, the FBI now officially acknowledges that Sikhs are targeted for being Sikhs. While refinements are needed to the agency’s tracking system and training standards, we are making progress,” he said.

    “The federal tracking of anti-Hindu, anti-Sikh, and anti-Arab hate crimes is an important, if long-overdue, development. Even as our community grows, Hindu Americans remain uniquely vulnerable to harassment, bullying, and violence,” said Harsh Voruganti, Associate Director of Public Policy, Hindu American Foundation.

    The updated FBI manual “marks a step towards ensuring accurate reporting of hate crimes committed against Sikhs, an important step that will ultimately aid the Sikh community as we continue to address the roots of anti-Sikh bias,” said Jasjit Singh, executive director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF).

    Update of FBI hate crimes training manual to include Arab, Hindu, and Sikh categories “is more important now than ever with the recent spike in hate violence targeting our communities,” said Lakshmi Sridaran, Director of Policy and Advocacy, South Asian Americans Standing Together (SAALT).

    “Our work ahead will be to ensure our communities are informed of these critical updates and are able to build trust with law enforcement so that hate crimes targeting South Asians, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, Middle Easterners, and Arabs are appropriately documented and prosecuted,” she said.

  • Widespread condemnation of assault on visiting Indian Sureshbhai Patel

    Widespread condemnation of assault on visiting Indian Sureshbhai Patel

    NEW YORK (TIP): Cutting across color and political lines, political and community leaders have in one voice condemned the brutal assault  by a police officer on an old man on a visit from India . Sureshbhai Patel was  smashed to the ground on February 6 while he was taking a walk in the town of Madison.

    The assault damaged his spine, as a result of which Patel is partially paralyzed. Governor of Alabama Robert Bentley offered apologies for the police officer’s conduct and spoke with Patel’s son.

    US lawmakers condemn police assault on Indian grandfather

     

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Several US lawmakers condemned the police assault on an Indian grandfather who was slammed to the ground by a police officer in Alabama – while he was out for a walk in the neighborhood – leaving him partially paralyzed as donations poured in for the victim.

    The police officer Eric Parker, who assaulted Sureshbhai Patel, 57, Feb 6 while he was taking a walk in front of his son Chirag Patel’s house in a Madison, Alabama suburb was arrested Thursday and Police Chief Larry Muncey has recommended that he be fired.

    Parker was released on $1,000 bond from the Limestone County Jail. A court appearance has been set for him for March 12, according to WAFF-TV, a local news channel,

    Patel, who had come from India recently to look after his grandson who was born prematurely, filed a lawsuit Thursday saying his civil rights were violated. It seeks an unspecified amount of money. According to the lawsuit, Patel said he tried to tell the officers that he doesn’t speak English, saying “No English. Indian. Walking.”

    Both police videos show two officers eventually forcing Patel to the ground with his hands behind his back.

    One police video captured an officer asking Patel, “Did you bite your lip?” as he remained on the ground. The officers repeatedly attempted to get Patel to “stand up” so they could move him to a patrol car.

    According to the lawsuit, Patel was paralyzed in his arms and legs after officers forced him to the ground, his face bloodied.

    State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki when asked Friday whether the department was sending any officials to Alabama to meet the victim along with Indian officials told reporters that “I don’t believe there’s a role for the State Department here.”

    “We certainly wish Mr. Patel a full recovery from his injuries. Our thoughts are with his family,” she said declining further comment as “this case is under investigation.”

    The lone Indian Congressman Ami Bera, who is also co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans and a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called the incident “horrible and tragic.”Noting that the FBI has opened an investigation, he said: “Moving forward, we must come together as a nation to tackle the very real issues our minority communities face, and to rebuild trust and understanding among law enforcement agencies and the diverse communities that they serve.”

    Several members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) including chair Judy Chu, Michael Honda, Ted Lieu, Jan Schakowsky and Grace Meng also condemned the use of excessive police force against Sureshbhai Patel.

    “In no way should the color of someone’s skin or their limited English proficiency lead to the type of confusion and unreasonable use of force that left Mr. Patel partially paralyzed,” said Chu.

    “As we await the FBI’s findings, I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to ensure that this type of profiling and excessive force is no longer permitted by law enforcement,” she said.

    Meanwhile, according to the Washington Post donations have been pouring into GoFundMe account set by a member of the Indian community, who is not related to the family, to help with Patel’s medical bills and other expenses.

    That GoFundMe page has collected more than $50,000 in donations for the family as of late Friday morning. The fund is trying to raise $100,000 for Patel, who has no insurance. Patel’s lawyer Hank Sherrod told The Post Friday that Indian Americans from all over the country have contacted him directly about sending checks to the family to cover medical bills.

  • Indian-American Ami Bera re-elected to US Congress

    Indian-American Ami Bera re-elected to US Congress

    SACRAMENTO (TIP): Amiresh ‘Ami’ Bera, the lone Indian American lawmaker in the US House of Representatives, managed to edge out his Republican opponent in a California race two weeks after the elections. Bera, who had won in a similar fashion in 2012, trailed Republican Doug Ose by more than 3,000 votes at the close of election night and steadily closed the gap as election officials tallied tens of thousands of remaining ballots. Bera, the third Indian American House member after Dalip Singh Saund and current Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, had ousted then sitting Republican House member Dan Lungren in 2012.

    “It’s been my honor serving this community as a doctor for the last 19 years and I am grateful I will have the opportunity to continue serving as the representative for California’s 7th Congressional District in Congress,” Bera said in a statement. “If you remember in the contest in 2012, we were tied and after the ballots were counted, we won by over 9,000 votes,” Bera said. Ose congratulated Bera on the hard fought win saying he “celebrates the fact that our institutions and our laws provide us a system whereby elections can be peacefully resolved”. The race was deemed the most expensive one with both candidates spending at least $19.6 million in the campaign, according to the Centre for Responsive Politics.

  • In tight electoral race, Bill Clinton bats for Ami Bera

    In tight electoral race, Bill Clinton bats for Ami Bera

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Congressman Ami Bera’s reelection bid has got a major boost with former US President Bill Clinton campaigning for him in the California seat where the Indian-American is locked in a tight contest. With Clinton, the star campaigner for the Democratic Party, personally seeking votes for Bera, the only Indian- American in the current Congress and only the third ever Indian-American to be elected to the US House of Representatives, his electoral chances brightened on Wednesday. Clinton described Bera as the embodiment of the American dream. 49-year-old Bera is facing tough competition from Republican Doug Ose, a businessman who served three terms in Congress through 2005. Appreciating Bera, Clinton described him as a “local remedy” for the intransigence gripping Washington. He cited Bera’s support for the federal health care overhaul, equal pay for women and increasing the minimum wage.

  • Leaders in Washington, Sikh Community gather for Langar

    Leaders in Washington, Sikh Community gather for Langar

    Creating Sikh American history, SALDEF’s SikhLEAD held the first-ever Langar on Capitol Hill, introducing Congressional leaders, colleagues and neighbors to a Sikh American way of life. Reflecting the values of langar, all faiths and races were invited and they sat together on the floor sharing a simple, vegetarian meal in the Rayburn Building of the U.S. House of Representatives.

    National leaders, including Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA), Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA), Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA), and Congressman Mark Takano (D-CA), addressed the gathering, reflecting on Sikh American contributions, alongside their ongoing commitment to serve Sikh American communities across the nation. Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) also visited the langar.

    During the event, Congresswoman Chu-a co-chair of the American Sikh Caucusannounced that the Caucus, through its cochair Congressman David Valadao (R-CA), along with 32 other co-sponsors from around the country, introduced a resolution honoring the memory of the attack on the Sikh Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin (H.Res. 698).

    Congresswoman Chu also accepted the Dalip Singh Saund Award in recognition of the American Sikh Caucus’ support of the Sikh American community. Jasjit Singh, SALDEF’S Executive Director, also spoke on the significance of Langar as a 500 year-old anti-segregation movement, and celebrated the remarkable leadership demonstrated by this year’s SikhLEAD Internship Class.

  • IN PRIMARIES, TWO PIOS MAKE THE CUT IN CALIFORNIA

    IN PRIMARIES, TWO PIOS MAKE THE CUT IN CALIFORNIA

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Two Indian- American political rookies in California chalked up modest victories in nationwide primary elections on Tuesday for a long-shot challenge at established veterans in mid-term polls slated for November. In one of the most watched races nationally, Democrat Ro Khanna came a distant second to fellow Democrat Mike Honda in California’s 17th district, polling only about 25% votes to Honda’s 50%.

    But the top two candidates, regardless of party affiliation, qualify for the November poll, so there will be another face-off for the House of Representatives seat that Honda has won some half dozen times. Another Indian- American, Republican Vanila Singh, a professor at Stanford Medical Center, came third with 16.2% votes. In another race that has attracted nationwide interest, Indian-American Neel Kashkari, a former Treasury official and a moderate Republican, defeated a Tea Party favorite Tim Donelly in the primaries for the governorship of California to earn the right to challenge the incumbent three-term governor Jerry Brown in the general election in November.

    Brown, a Democrat seeking a fourth term, took 55% of the votes to run out an easy winner, with Kashkari a distant second with 18 per cent votes, and Donelly polling 15%. Both Kashkari and Khanna are long shots to displace the incumbents. The Japanese- American Honda, 72, is a political veteran endorsed by the party old guard, including President Barack Obama, House minority leader Nancy Pelosi, and the state’s two Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. Khanna, 37, has strong support from the tech community in a Congressional district that includes the heart of the Silicon Valley, including endorsements from Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, and Google Chairman Eric Schmidt.

    Which is how Khanna has outraised and outspent Honda in one of the costliest Congressional primaries in the country, but he would still need to bridge the nearly 25% gap if he is to oust the labor union-backed incumbent. Kashkari has an even slimmer chance against Jerry Brown, who was one of California’s youngest governors when he was elected for the first time in 1975, and also the oldest governor when he re-elected in 2010 with a 28-year gap between his second and third terms.

    His father Pat Brown was also a two-term California governor in the 1960s. Although Kashkari is a moderate Republican, registered Republicans account for only 28.5% of California’s voters, compared with the Democrats’ 43.5%. Both races were marked by snide, raciallytinged attacks. Tea Party’s Donelly accused Kashkari of ties to Islamic fundamentalism all because he once participated in a Treasury department conference about Islamic Finance.

    Khanna, in a thinly disguised reference to his Indian origin, was attacked in campaign mailers over the possibility that he would outsource jobs if he won. Another Indian-American candidate, sitting Democratic Congressman Ami Bera of California’s 7th district, has a more realistic chance of winning a second term after a comfortable victory in the primaries. Some other Indian-American candidates, including Upendra Chivukula in New Jersey and Swati Dandekar in Iowa, failed to make the cut.

  • Reps. Joe Crowley (D-NY) and Ami Bera (D-Calif.) commend elections in India

    Reps. Joe Crowley (D-NY) and Ami Bera (D-Calif.) commend elections in India

    NEW YORK (TIP): Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY)who has represented New York City Congressional districts since 1999 and Rep.Ami Bera (D-Calif.) who has represented California’s 7th Congressional District since 2013, have commended elections in India. “At a time when democracy is under pressure in many corners of the globe, officials are currently tallying votes in the largest exercise of democracy in the world: the elections in India.

    “The numbers are staggering. In an election that took place over several weeks, nearly 815 million voters were eligible to vote at 930,000 polling locations. Indians cast their ballots for control of the Lok Sabha, Parliament’s lower house and the body that chooses the country’s prime minister. “To put this in perspective, the number of eligible voters in the Indian election surpasses the entire population of Europe.

    The number of new voters alone in India exceeds 100 million – just shy of one third of the entire population of the United States. It’s extraordinary to see a country of more than one billion people that could be the world’s most populous nation within a decade, carrying out another election. The world is truly watching history being made. “India’s commitment to democracy is something the United States, as well as other nations, should remember, acknowledge and respect.

    That respect is returned by the Indian people — our country’s common values are one reason why a clear majority of Indians, from all generations and educational levels, hold high opinions of the U.S., according to a recent Pew Research Center Survey. “This dynamic of respect and a desire for greater mutual support is especially visible to those of us who have traveled to India to help strengthen ties between our two countries.

    For all of our differences, we are struck by the many similarities in our political systems: the competing parties, the vigorous debates, the vibrant media and the independent judiciary are signs of democracy in action. “Our ties, however, go far beyond similarities and respect. We have many common underlying interests: we share goals in standing up against terrorism, ensuring stability in South Asia and globally, in growing our economies, and increasing development.

    Indians have also faced many problems similar to our own – after all, it was only weeks after 9/11 that the Indian Parliament was attacked. “If the United States and India can move our relationship further ahead, it could benefit our own constituents, as well as people throughout the world. Working on a path for India’s ascension to the United Nations Security Council is one important way to take concrete steps forward.

    Deepening our technological, security, educational and economic ties in a way that creates more high-paying American jobs is another. Beyond these priorities, India and the United States can collaborate on countless individual initiatives, in areas like research, transportation or development. “One thing is certain: moving closer together will do more good for our two countries than moving apart.

    In many ways, this is already happening organically. With more than 3 million Indian-Americans in the United States, many of whom remain close to families still in India, our people- to-people ties are stronger than ever and expanding by the day. Most Americans interact daily with Indian-American community members, who are visible and active in all aspects of our national life, whether it is business, entertainment, public service, medicine, religion, education and more.

    “The elections in India are a good reminder about the importance of democracy, our countries’ shared histories, and the potential for future growth. But they are also an opportunity to review, renew and reinvigorate our ties with a natural friend and partner”.

  • Physician Shortage Estimated to be over 130,000 by 2015

    Physician Shortage Estimated to be over 130,000 by 2015

    AAPI to advocate for more Residency slots during Legislative Day on Capitol Hill

    CHICAGO (TIP):With the beginning of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), health insurance coverage is expected to expand to an additional 34 million people in the United States. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projects that universal coverage will increase the use of physicians by 4%,while the Bureau of Health Professions projects a 5.2% increase.

    According to Census projections, the overall population will increase by 15.2% from 2010 to 2025, and the population aged older than 65 years will grow by 60%,while those aged younger than 18 years will increase by 13%. Accordingly, it’s been estimated that the total number of office visits to primary care physicians alone for the United States will increase from a base of 462 million in 2008 to 565 million in 2025.

    Because of aging, the average number of visits to primary care physicians will increase from 1.60 in 2008 to 1.66 in 2025. By age 65, about two-thirds of senior citizens have at least one chronic disease, and 20 percent of Americans older than 65 see 14 or more physicians and average 40 physician visits each year. In addition to these changes, is the age factor of the currently practicing physicians themselves. Every 1 in 3 practicing physicians in the U.S. is over the age of 55 and is close to retirement.

    The irony, however, is that the number of Medicare-sponsored residency slots has been capped since 1997, and the Medical school graduates may exceed the number of residency positions by 2015. Struggling to meet these higher demands and reduced supply of physicians, the nation is projected to be short by more than 90,000 physicians by 2020 and 130,000 physicians by 2025, according to projections by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Indian-Americans constitute less than one percent of the country’s population, but they account for nine percent of the American doctors and physicians. As Forbes magazine aptly summed up, “The overrepresentation of Indians in these fields (engineering, IT and medicine) is striking – in practical terms, one out of seven doctors is likely to be of Indian Heritage.”

    They provide medical care to over 40 million of US population. The annual Legislative Day & Congressional Reception organized by Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, March 26th and Thursday, March 27th, 2014, with participation from dozens of key US Congressmen and Senators will be a perfect forum to advocate for more Residency Slots. “As you are aware, how important it is for us to be involved in the decision making on Bills that affect not only our patients but also us,” says Dr. Jayesh Shah, President of AAPI. “We’re pleased that bipartisan Members of Congress are joining us on Capitol Hill this month. Some of the important bills including SGR Repeal and increase in Residency Slots will be discussed during this session. Your presence on the Capitol Hill is more needed now than ever before.”


    20
    Dr. Ami Bera addressing AAPI delegates on Capitol Hill

    According to Dr. Shah, AAPI strongly supports the “Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2013,” introduced by U.S. Congressman Joe Crowley (D-NY) (H.R. 1180) and U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) (S. 577),which would provide an additional 15,000 residency positions in Fiscal Years 2015-2019. “Increasing the size of medical school classes is not enough. There must be a simultaneous increase in the size of residency positions to train these future doctors,” he says. Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, President-Elect of AAPI, says, “AAPI urges members of Congress to include physicians graduating from U.S. residency programs for Green Cards in the comprehensive immigration reform bill.

    “Physicians graduating from accredited U.S. residency programs should also receive similar treatment. Such a proposal would enable more physicians to be eligible for Green Cards and address the ongoing physician shortage,” he adds. As part of comprehensive immigration reform, a proposal may include international students graduating with degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) being fast-tracked for Green Cards. This proposal enables highly-skilled workers to remain in the United States after receiving their higher education in America. “We are pleased to inform you that a bipartisan legislation was recently introduced in Congress to permanently repeal the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) Formula,” Dr. Harbhajan Ajrawat, Chair of AAPI Legislative Affairs Committee,while referring to “SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2014,” H.R. 4015, says. “AAPI will continue monitoring this vital legislation and will be asking members of Congress tough questions about the SGR during our Legislative Day on Capitol Hill.”

    AAPI supports Congress providing a permanent fix to the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. In January 2013, Congress passed a temporary patch to avert a 26.5 percent cut,which expires in 2014. AAPI urges members of the House to cosponsor H.R. 574 to bring certainty to the Medicare reimbursement system, Dr. Ajrawat adds. Dr. Sampat Shivangi, Co-Chair of AAPI Legislative Affairs Committee, says, “In our continued goals to reach out to US Congress, our annual Legislative Conference will focus on burning issues like Medicare SGR, Immigration reform, Combating Obesity, Implementation Affordable Care and of course on growing USIndia relations in spite of few recent setbacks.” He has urged “the AAPI community to be part of this exciting event and share their enthusiasm and experience on various issues which promises to be very exciting event.”

    In the 112th Congress, AAPI helped secure the introduction of the “Doctors for Underserved Areas in America Act,” (H.R. 2805), by U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA),which would make the J-1 Visa Waiver Program permanent. The J-1 visa gives international medical graduates the opportunity to perform their medical training and residency in the United States. AAPI wants members of Congress to cosponsor legislation making the J-1 Visa Waiver Program permanent when it is reintroduced in the House and to cosponsor S. 616.In its efforts to maintain a healthy doctor-patient environment by curbing aggressive litigation targeting physicians, AAPI has been advocating for federal and state legislation that places effective caps on noneconomic damages, limits the use of joint-andseveral liability, provides physicians with flexibility to negotiate settlements with medical insurers and limits the statute of limitations for filing medical malpractice claims.

    “AAPI fully supports the nomination of Dr. Vivek H. Murthy as Surgeon General of the United States,” says Dr. Jayesh Shah,who along with his colleagues met with several key US Senators last month, seeking support for his confirmation. “Dr. Murthy has impeccable academic credentials and has been a longtime supporter of advancing health care across the United States. He has also worked tirelessly to support health care initiatives in rural India through his volunteerism and entrepreneurship.” AAPI’s Legislative Day Reception is scheduled on Wednesday, March 26, 2014 from 5 pm to 7 pm at B-340 Rayburn House Office Building. “Our legislative committee met more than six months ago and discussed in detail what type of reception we should host this year,” recalls Dr. Shah.

    “It came to light that in the late 1990’s, AAPI also hosted a well-attended dinner with congressional staff. Based on the feedback from committee members,we decided it would be best to go back to the feature of serving Indian food, as this past model was always well-received by Members of Congress and their staff.” The Indian Buffet Reception on Capitol Hill on March 26th will be addressed by: Rep. Alan Nunnelee (RMS); Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA); Rep. Tom Price, MD (R-GA); Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ); Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD); Rep. Phil Gingrey, MD (RGA); Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA); Rep. Joe Heck, DO (RNV); Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL); Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS); and Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA). Ambassador Dr. S. Jaishankar will provide the keynote address during the Congressional reception.

    Among the many US lawmakers who have confirmed their participation addressing the AAPI delegates during the Legislative Conference on March 27th are: U.S. Congressmen Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman – House Foreign Affairs Committee; Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Ranking member – Health Subcommittee, House Energy and Commerce Committee; Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY), Co-chairman – Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans; Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL), Co-chairman – Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans; and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Ranking member, Immigration Subcommittee and House Judiciary Committee.

  • Vince Chhabria to be the first Indian-American judge in California

    Vince Chhabria to be the first Indian-American judge in California

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Indian- American attorney Vince Chhabria, who has represented San Francisco in defense of its health insurance law, adoption rights of same-sex couples and other major cases, has won Senate confirmation for a federal judgeship.

    Chhabria, 44, who presently serves as the deputy attorney of San Francisco City, will become California’s first federal judge of South Asian descent and one of only a few South Asian federal judges across the US. The Senate vote on Wednesday, March 5, was 58-41, with four Republicans joining Democrats in approving President Barack Obama’s nomination of Chhabria.

    A University of California Berkeley Law School graduate, he fills the last of three vacancies on the Bay Area’s 14- member US District Court. Born to Indian parents, who are Mumbai natives, Chhabria is currently visiting family in India. “I am thrilled to begin this new chapter of my career in public service, and to set up shop down the hall from my greatest mentor, Judge Charles Breyer,” he said in a press statement.

    “While I had high expectations when I started here nine years ago, I never dreamed I would be lucky enough to work on so many exciting cases, for so many dynamic clients, with so many dedicated and high-caliber public lawyers.” Chhabria also thanked the members of the South Asian legal community saying: “The fact that I have been confirmed while traveling in India with my family makes this an especially proud moment for me.”

    He began his legal career by clerking for Judge Charles R. Breyer of the US district court for the Northern District of California from 1998 to 1999. The South Asian Bar Association of North America and the South Asian Bar Association of Northern California have applauded Chhabria’s historic confirmation to the US district court.

    The lone Indian-American member of the US House of Representatives, Ami Bera, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus chair, Judy Chu, and CAPAC chair emeritus, Mike Honda, also applauded Chhabria’s confirmation. “Vince Chhabria will make an excellent judge for the US district court. I’m delighted that he was confirmed,” Bera said. “As the first South Asian to serve on the federal bench in California, he has also made California’s Indian-American and South Asian community proud.”

  • Indians a rising force in California politics

    Indians a rising force in California politics

    SACRAMENTO (TIP): When Neel Kashkari announced he was running for governor, he became the latest Californian of Indian descent to step onto the political stage, the most recent example of a rising trend in one of America’s most ethnically diverse states.

    Kashkari is part of a surge of second-generation Indians emerging in politics, despite their relatively small population in California. While Sikh Californians have been farming in California’s Central Valley for nearly a century, the last couple of decades have brought a wave of technology workers and entrepreneurs into Silicon Valley, where they have formed a tight-knit, supportive and financially successful community.

    Tapping into that donor base will be key to the Republican Kashkari’s campaign, even if many donors will have to cross party lines to support him. The growing roster of candidates and elected officials of Indian descent includes Democrat Ami Bera, a doctor who holds a Sacramento-area congressional seat; Democrat Ro Khanna, who is challenging for another in the San Francisco Bay Area; Vanila Singh, a Republican who recently announced she is entering the same Bay Area race; and Republican Ricky Gill, who attracted millions of dollars from Indian-Americans in the Central Valley before losing a tight congressional race two years ago.

  • Congress celebrates Diwali with lighting of Diyas

    Congress celebrates Diwali with lighting of Diyas

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The US Congress on Tuesday, October 29, celebrated Diwali for the first time in its long history by lighting the traditional ‘diyas” and chanting of mantras by a Hindu priest with 25-odd lawmakers and influential Indian- Americans taking part in the event. “I have come here to say Happy Diwali. The United States owes a great debt of gratitude to India…This is a truly historic event,” remarked Nancy Pelosi, former Speaker and currently Leader of the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives. Congressmen Joe Crowley and Peter Roskam, co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, had taken the initiative for celebrating the event on Capitol Hill. The lawmakers were welcomed with jasmine garlands, traditional shawls, tilak et al. As Congressman Crowley put it, this inaugural event will “set a precedent for Congressional Diwali celebrations for decades to come”. Tulsi Gabbard, the first-ever Hindu Congresswoman, called it a “celebration of righteousness”. Ami Bera, the only Indian American in Congress, wanted to see the “deepening of this relationship as we move forward”.

  • US Congress set to celebrate Diwali

    US Congress set to celebrate Diwali

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Thanks to the initiative of bipartisan Congressional Caucus on India and Indian- Americans, US lawmakers are set to have their first-ever Diwali reception to celebrate the Indian festival of lights. An invitation to lawmakers for the reception next Tuesday has gone out from old India friend and Democratic caucus co-chairman Joseph Crowley, according to the gossip blog of Roll Call, an influential publication focusing on Congressional affairs. “We’re setting a major precedent that will hopefully last for years and decades to come,” he wrote asking fellow lawmakers to share the mysteries of the “festival of lights.” Crowley praised Tulsi Gabbard, first Hindu-American lawmaker and Ami Bera, the lone Indian-American politician in the US House, for helping to plan the event and “stirring up interest amongst our members.” “I think it is a testament to the growth of the Indian-American community,” Crowley, who has participated in Diwali festivals in the Indo-American enclave of the Jackson Heights section of Queens in New York, told the Roll Call.

    “According to spiritual tradition, Diwali is observed as the victory of light over darkness, truth over untruth and righteousness over wrong, and as a time of spiritual renewal,” Gabbard was quoted as saying “This message has great relevance at a time when politics and partisanship seem to overshadow compassion and concern for the greater good.” Crowley, according to Roll Call has placed the menu planning in the hands of the Sri Siva Vishnu Temple in Lanham, Maryland, a local house of worship he’s consulted with in the past – “So, we know it will be authentic.” Urging fellow lawmakers to “consider attending this exciting event,” he tempted them by saying, “Traditional Indian refreshments will be served.” “This event is an essential opportunity to come together not only to celebrate but to help increase understanding and tolerance amongst all Americans,” he wrote. “It’s going to set a precedent for Congressional Diwali celebrations for decades to come.”

  • Petitions Supporting A Commemorative Diwali Stamp Presented To Deputy Postmaster General

    Petitions Supporting A Commemorative Diwali Stamp Presented To Deputy Postmaster General

    WASHINGTON, DC (TIP): Reps. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Ami Bera (D-CA), Grace Meng (D-NY) and representatives of the Indian- American community today presented Ron Stroman, Deputy Postmaster General, with petitions signed by thousands of supporters of a commemorative stamp honoring the Indian holiday Diwali.

    Maloney is sponsor, and Reps. Meng and Bera are cosponsors of, H. Res 47, a resolution which requests that the U.S. Postal Service issue a commemorative U.S. stamp in honor of the Indian holiday Diwali, the five-day “festival of lights,” celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains around the world. “Today’s meeting with the Deputy Postmaster General is another important step on the road to a Diwali stamp,” Rep. Maloney said.

    “I am optimistic that the Citizens Stamp Advisory Commission will respond favorably to the 1300 signatures presented today, and the 400,000 signatures presented in the online campaign.” “I appreciate Deputy Postmaster General Stroman meeting with my colleagues and me today to discuss the US Postal Service issuing a Diwali stamp,” said Rep. Bera. “Introducing a Diwali stamp makes business sense, giving the USPS more revenue at a time when it’s sorely needed, and is also the right thing to do, giving this holiday-and the India American Community-the equal recognition that it deserves.”

    “The Postal Service has issued stamps for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Eid and now it’s time for one to honor Diwali,” said Rep. Meng. “Diwali, the festival of lights, is observed by 1.2 billion people in over 120 countries including the United States and India. These include thousands of constituents who reside in my district which includes one of the largest South Asian populations in the country.

    Issuing a stamp would be an outstanding way to salute the tremendous contributions of Hindu and Indian Americans, and it would give Diwali the recognition that it deserves. I thank the Deputy Postmaster General for meeting with us and we will continue to keep up the fight.” Ranju Batra, chair of Diwali Stamp Project, said “I’m truly excited by today’s meeting with Deputy Postmaster General Stroman. Rep. Carolyn Maloney’s durable national leadership is bearing fruit.

    I’m also grateful for the support of Rep. Grace Meng along with Rep. Ami Bera for attending today. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has worked hard to support Carolyn’s HR47. I was delighted to have the letter-petitions presented to DPMG Stroman and have Carolyn read out loud Ambassador Mulay’s poem, ‘Towards Diwali Stamp,’ now the official poem of the Diwali Stamp Project.We are closer than ever before, and we will not stop until our Diwali Stamp is issued.

    ” Ravi Batra said, “Ron Stroman is a serious public official, who comprehends the compelling need to issue the Diwali Stamp, consistent with CSAC’s necessary merit-driven independent judgment, and I applaud Carolyn Maloney’s tireless leadership and Ranju’s limitless work ethic in driving the Diwali Stamp to critical mass – with scores of members of congress supporting, including Tulsi and Ami – and now an official poem too.

    When the USPS decides, sooner rather than later, to issue the Diwali Stamp ‘E Pluribus Unum’ shall include Hindu-Americans too.” As part of the campaign for the Diwali stamp, Maloney asked Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay, the Consul General of India in New York, to write the following poem, “Towards Diwali Stamp” in support of the campaign: “Towards Diwali Stamp” Brighten up the world Light up the nearest Lamp Stamp out clouds of darkness Bring in the Diwali Stamp.

  • Congresswoman Maloney Seeks A Diwali Stamp: CG Calls For Community Support

    Congresswoman Maloney Seeks A Diwali Stamp: CG Calls For Community Support

    NEW YORK (TIP): Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney spoke before the Consul General of India, in New York, July 8 to urge members and leaders in the Indian American communities to continue supporting an effort to get the Citizen’s Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) of the United States Postal Service (USPS) to issue a commemorative Diwali stamp. “It is high time the USPS issues a Diwali stamp.

    Diwali, also known as the Holiday of Lights, marks the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness and the beginning of the Hindu New Year. It is one of the oldest and most storied religious holidays in the world, and is celebrated by people of several faiths. There are commemorative stamps for Christmas, Hanukkah, Eid and more. Issuing a Diwali stamp would officially recognize the size and significance of the country’s Indian American population, which comprises over three million people, and would provide the USPS with sorely needed revenue,” Maloney said.

    For several years, Maloney has headed efforts in Congress to push the CSAC to consider issuing a commemorative Diwali stamp. In January, Maloney introduced H.Res. 47 that the CSAC should issue a Diwali stamp. She wrote letters to the CSAC in 2010 and 2012 requesting the same action. Ranju Batra, a former President of the Association of Indians in America – NY, who attended the event at the Indian Consulate, is a close friend of Congresswoman Maloney and was a major catalyst in the effort to get the Diwali stamp issued.

    She asked that Congresswoman Maloney provide national leadership on the effort, and Congresswoman Maloney obliged her request by remaining strongly dedicated to the issue. Aside from the cultural significance of the Diwali stamp, there are economic benefits associated with its issuance. There are over 3 million Indian Americans residing in the United States and over 1 billion Indians living in India.

    The sale of the Diwali stamp could provide the USPS with a much-needed revenue surge. The meeting was held to urge supporters and members of the Indian American communities to contact their members of Congress and the CSAC and express support for the issuance of a Diwali stamp. Speaking on the occasion, Ranju Batra said, “When I took over as president of AIANY, I set two goals: To make the 25th Silver Diwali celebrations history-making, and they were, and to laser-focus on getting the Diwali Stamp issued.

    I asked my dear friend Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney to take the lead in Congress. I am so delighted to have the support of Reps. Eliot Engel, Steve Israel, Greg Meeks, Yvette Clarke, Grace Meng, and others. Worthy of special note is the support from Reps. Ami Bera and Tulsi Gabbard. The time is now to get as much support as possible, as the USPS’ CASC will make its recommendations later this month.

    We need each of you and every media outlet to help get the word out: call your Congress member and ask them to sign on to H. Res. 47 now. If we do this, together, we have the chance to get the Diwali Stamp issued this year,” said Ranju Batra, Chair of the Diwali Stamp Project and immediate past President of the Association of Indians in America-NY.

    “The target audience of the Diwali stamp is over 5 million Americans of South Asian and Caribbean ancestry, along with over 1 billion Hindus across the world. The sale of Diwali Stamps would be a much-needed source of revenue for the US Postal Service in tough economic times. It will reduce the Postal Service’s need to always raises postage rates for everyone, while finally acknowledging Hindus here at home and abroad,” said Ravi Batra, an attorney and chair of the National Advisory Council on South Asian Affairs.

    “This laudable initiative by Ms. Ranju Batra seeks not only to embellish the great American democracy in its embrace of pluralism and diversity but also because Diwali commemorates civilizational values of respect for women’s rights and their empowerment which the United States also tries to advance everywhere. On the occasion of Diwali, Goddess Lakshmi — symbolizing prosperity and well-being of humanity — is worshiped, as is the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness, which she brings about, is celebrated.

    I wish Ranju and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney every success in their endeavor, which will not only strengthen the cultural and people-to-people links between the democracies of India and United States, but also mark their dedication to the cause of gender equality and women’s empowerment,” said Lakshmi Puri, Acting Executive Director of UN Women.

    Mr. D. Mulay, the Consul General of India in New York lauded the efforts of Ranju Batra and Congresswoman Maloney and stated that Diwali is a secular festival celebrated by all Indians and it will be appropriate for the US Postal department to issue a Diwali commemorative stamp. He appealed to the Indian American community to support the Diwali stamp initiative of Ranju Batra and Maloney.

  • Indian Americans host Reception in Honor of Congressional leaders in Washington, D.C.

    Indian Americans host Reception in Honor of Congressional leaders in Washington, D.C.

    WASHINGTON D.C.(TIP): The American India Public Affairs Committee (AIPACom) organized a reception in honor of Congressional leaders in Washington, D.C. on June 27th. Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee; Joe Crowley, Chair, India Caucus; Steve Chabot, Chairman, Subcommittee, South Asia; Gregory Meeks, Joe Wilson, Ami Bera, Grace Meng and several high-ranking officials from State Department, Senate and India Caucus participated. Joe Crowley Congressmen present expressed their whole-hearted support for India.

    Addressing the gathering, Mr. Jagdish Sewhani, President of the AIPACom said that the issue of pulling out the United States and its allied forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 and the rise of Taliban have created a sort of anxiety in the region. “There is a fear in the region that Taliban, supported by radicalized Pakistani army may make a forceful bid to take over Afghanistan and establish Sharia. This could trigger tension in the region,” he said.

    Disappointed over Pakistan’s sluggish pace of trial in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee demanded that the seven suspects, including LeT operational commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, be handed over to the International Criminal Court to bring them to justice. Royce said there are rogue elements in the ISI who would use the opportunity of any instability in Afghanistan to go back to the Taliban era. “Ethnic cleansing is going on in Pakistan today against those who are speaking against it,” he said, alleging that the population of Hindus in Pakistan has now dropped to 1.5 per cent as against 25 per cent at the time of independence. Tracing the history of India Caucus, Sewhani said that the India Caucus has been a source of strength. It has done a commendable job to further cement an Indo-American relationship. Reminding the audience, Sewhani said that Pakistan is still the epicenter of terrorism.

    It is a wellknown fact that Pakistan is using terrorism as a tool to achieve its foreign policy objectives. At the moment, Pakistani society is the most radicalized society. Even though Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ostensibly wants to mend the relationship with India, Pakistan Intelligence Agency ISI is reported to have opened two new centers to train a large number of youngsters in terrorism on the other side of Jaisalmer in Indian state of Rajasthan. Trade between India and the USA has increased by 40% since the launch of Indo-US Strategic Dialogue by the Obama Administration 3 years ago and could cross $100 billion.

    The bilateral trade between India and the US could touch $500 billion mark over the next decade. Time has come for the oldest democracy in the world, the USA, to support the largest democracy in the world, the Republic of India and fourth economy in the world, in its bid to become the permanent member of the UN Security Council. “Both, USA and India are natural allies. Because of our mutual understanding and regard for each other, a new era in Indo-American relationship has dawned. The time has come to take this relationship from a mere friendship to a strategically meaningful relationship”, said Sewhany. (Based on a press release)

  • If Pakistan Cannot Try 26/11 Culprits, Turn Them Over To International Criminal Court: ED ROYCE

    If Pakistan Cannot Try 26/11 Culprits, Turn Them Over To International Criminal Court: ED ROYCE

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Disappointed over Pakistan’s slow pace of trial in Mumbai terror attack case, a top US lawmaker has demanded that the seven suspects, including LeT operational commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, be handed over to the International Criminal Court to bring them to justice, says a PTI report. “There are seven individuals that need to be brought to justice (for their role in the 26/11 attack case),” said Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the powerful House Foreign Relations Committee.

    “If Pakistan cannot try them, turn them over to international criminal court for crimes against humanity, for what they did in their collusion, in their culpability for what happened,” he said on Thursday. The seven Pakistani suspects have been charged with planning, financing and executing the attacks that killed 166 people in Mumbai in November 2008.

    A Rawalpindi-based anti-terrorism court had been handling the case since 2009 though the judge has been changed five times. Addressing a select group of Indian-Americans at a Congressional reception at the Capitol Hill organized by the American India Public Affairs Committee, Royce said both India and the United States are facing challenges from terrorism. Royce said some USD 100 million has been traced going from the Gulf States to Pakistan’s 600 Deobandi schools; which, according to him, are factories of radicalism.

    “Ethnic cleansing is going out in Pakistan today those who are speaking against it,” he said, alleging that the population of Hindus in Pakistan has now dropped to 1.5 %, against 25 % at the time of independence. Jagdish Sewhani, president of the American India Public Affairs Committee, said that the issue of pulling out USA and its allied forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2013 has created a sort of anxiety in the region. “There is a fear in the region that Taliban, supported by radicalized Pakistani army may make a forceful bid to take over Afghanistan and establish Sharia.

    This could trigger tension in the region,” he said. Royce said there are rouge elements in the ISI, who would use the opportunity of any instability in Afghanistan to go back to the Taliban era. Indian-American Congressman Ami Bera reiterated his commitment to strengthen ties between India and the US.

  • Lawmakers demand honor for first Indian- American Congressman, Dalip Singh Saund

    Lawmakers demand honor for first Indian- American Congressman, Dalip Singh Saund

    WASHINGTON (TIP): A group of 14 lawmakers has requested the State of California to induct Dalip Singh Saund, the first Indian to be elected to Congress, into the California Hall of Fame. The group led by Ami Bera sent a letter to California Governor Jerry Brown describing Congressman Saund as “a trailblazer for human and civil rights and for the Asian- American community”.

    “As we continue to work towards comprehensive immigration reform, the contributions that California Congressman Dalip Singh Saund made should be recognized by enshrining him in the California Hall of Fame,” lawmakers said in the letter. Dalip Singh Saund was the first Asian-American elected to Congress, serving in the 85th, 86th, and 87th Congresses. “He was the first Indian-American to serve in Congress and the first member of a non-Abrahamic faith to be elected to the House,” the lawmakers wrote. “Dalip Singh Saund was born in a small village in India.

    After immigrating to the United States in 1920 to study at the University of California, Berkeley Saund earned an M A and a Ph D in mathematics,” said the letter. “Upon graduating, he remained in the United States and became a farmer-growing lettuce in California’s Imperial Valley of California,” it said. “In 1953, Saund became a distributor of chemical fertilizer in Westmoreland,” said the letter. “Saund’s political career began in 1942 when he was elected President of India Association of America.

    In this role, Saund raised funds to lobby for Congresswoman Claire Booth Luce’s bill for citizenship rights and to allow individuals of South Asian descent to become naturalized citizens,” it added. “After the passage of the Luce- Celler Act, Saund applied for and became a citizen in 1949. One year later he successful ran for election as a Justice of the Peace for Westmoreland Township,” the letter said. “In 1956 Saund successfully ran for the House of Representatives,” it said.

    “Saund served a total of three terms in the House (January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1963), fighting for local and national interests,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter. The letter added that Congressman Saund had opposed the closing of Corona Naval Hospital and championed a number of projects important to California including flood control, supplemental water for Southern California, and water rights for Imperial County farmers.`

  • 21 lawmakers back Chandigarh-born Srikanth ‘Sri’ Srinivasan as top US judge

    21 lawmakers back Chandigarh-born Srikanth ‘Sri’ Srinivasan as top US judge

    WASHINGTON (TIP): A many as 21 lawmakers have lent their support to the Chandigarh-born Indian-American legal luminary Srikanth ‘Sri’ Srinivasan to a top US court, ahead of an expected Senate vote on the nomination. Srinivasan, 46, currently principal deputy solicitor general of the US last week won unanimous approval from the Senate Judiciary Committee for his nomination as a judge on the US Court of Appeals for the American capital.

    “Sri Srinivasan would be an outstanding judge for the Court of Appeals,” wrote the lawmakers, including Ami Bera, the lone Indian-American House member, in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. If confirmed by the full Senate, which appears all but certain given unanimous support for him in the judicial panel, Srinivasan, who last August succeeded another Indian American, Neal Kumar Katyal, in his current job would be the first South Asian judge on the powerful appeals court, often called the nation’s second-highest court.

    “He has worked in the US Solicitor General’s office three times – for both Republican and Democratic administrations – and argued 24 cases before the Supreme Court,” the lawmakers wrote. “As members of Congress, we value the importance of having diversity on the court. Representation of Indian Americans within our judicial system is overdue,” they added. Srinivasan was born in Chandigarh and grew up in Lawrence, Kansas.

    He received his BA with honors and distinction in 1989 from Stanford University and his JD with distinction in 1995 from Stanford Law School, where he was elected to Order of the Coif and served as an editor of the Stanford Law Review.

    He also holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, which he received along with his JD in 1995. He received the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Furthering US National Security in 2003 and the Office of the Secretary of Defense Award for Excellence in 2005.

  • Ami Bera Joins Sikh Congressional Caucus

    Ami Bera Joins Sikh Congressional Caucus

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The newly formed American Sikh Congressional Caucus, which is under a cloud over alleged backing from some pro- Khalistan elements, got a shot in the arm as Ami Bera, the only Indian American in US Congress, signed up for the caucus. The caucus, which was inaugurated on April 24, aims to tackle problems faced by the community such as hate crimes, school bullying, and discrimination in enlisting due to a ban on turban.

    Bera, a California Democrat whose family came from Gujarat, was being claimed by both sides, especially after his name was not there on the list of members announced at the launch. The pro-Sikh caucus group claimed that he was one of the 30 lawmakers who had signed up. The other side, including Indian officials, were confident he hadn’t. Bera’s family came here from Gujarat, and, was seen as a deal in the bag by those who had pointed out the Khalistan connection of some of the prime backers of the caucus. But he clearly wasn’t.

    “The memory of the tragedy at Oak Creek is still fresh, and in my own community of Elk Grove, two Sikh men were murdered in 2011 in a probable hate crime,” Bera said in a statement to media. “Violence and discrimination against the Sikh American community is a real and important civil rights issue in the US. That’s why I co-sponsored strong anti-hate crimes legislation earlier this year and joined the American Sikh Congressional Caucus,” he said.

    That’s pretty much in line with the stated objectives of the caucus, as laid out by its co-founders representatives Judy Chu and David Valadao at its launch.