"Balkanisation of India advocate" unseated

Globalom Media Service

Cynthia McKinney

Dr Narasimhan

Denise Majette

The pro-Israel lobby in US is known for its active participation and role in the US political life and foreign policy.

For the first time, in July last year, the increasingly influential Indian–American  community helped block a congressional resolution, after the violence in Gujarat earlier in the year, expressing concern about the violence. Senators had hoped to pass the resolution before Secretary of State Colin Powell's visit.

As word of the pending resolution spread, Indian-American groups inundated Senate offices with e-mails and phone calls opposing the resolution. "We did not move on this because we were buried" by messages, says a congressional aide.

This year in August, was another first for the “neophyte Indian-American activists group, which is not as political or as established as the Jewish lobby". It was the defeat of Cynthia McKinney in the Congressional primaries in an unusual Georgia election that attracted nationwide attention.

In an April 11, 2001 Congressional Record article titled “In Secular India, Hindu Lives Worth Twice as Much as Muslim Lives,” Cynthia McKinney criticized the government of India for not doing enough to protect Muslims under attack from Hindus.

Cynthia’s bizarre remarks, made at the behest of the Pakistani and Khalistani lobby, were to the effect that Indian government is responsible for terrorism against its own people. It engineered the massacre of bus passengers in Kashmir and the blowing up of a passenger airliner, angered Indian-Americans.

In an August 31, 2001 letter to Cynthia McKinney, Ambassador Lalit Mansingh, after a meeting with the Congresswoman, said, “In the spirit of the candid dialogue that we have initiated and consistent with your invitation, I wanted to address the inaccuracies contained in some of the recent statements that you have included the Congressional Record concerning India.”

“I was both surprised and disappointed at the inflammatory nature of your statement,” the ambassador's letter said. “Your allegation that authorities ‘stood by and let the carnage happen,’ and the suggestion of government complicity in targeting victims among minority groups are completely unfounded.

“What I find most disturbing in your statement, Madam Congresswoman, is the suggestion that India's government condones or even promotes attacks on minorities,” the letter continued. “This is not only a slander against the government, it demeans hundreds of millions of Indians, from diverse communities and faiths, who are committed to and justifiably proud of India's secular democracy.”

There are 8,000 Indian-origin Americans in the 4th District, among the roughly 50,000 who live in metro Atlanta. Cynthia’s remarks about ‘balkanization of India’ with the imminent breakup of India because of its “17 different separatist movements” made the Indians of Georgia join together

Dr Narsi Narasimhan was amongst the prominent activists, who sent out an e-mail to 3400 Indian-Americans in the area reporting her remarks (under the subject line — "Balkanisation of India — advocated by Rep. Cynthia McKinney") and urging them to work for her opponent, a local judge named Denise Majette. Indian-Americans contributed by organizing fund-raisers. Several volunteers worked full week for Denise Majette’s campaign.

Denise Majette, the winner, polled 58 per cent to McKinney;s 42 per cent.

In 1994, Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) was similarly targeted for his relentless efforts to reduce development aid to India.

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