‘India-U.S. ties aren’t as strong as they need to be’: Indian-American MP

He became the fifth Indian-American in the current Congress.

Washington:

India-U.S. relations are not as strong as they should be, said Indian-American Rep. I swore I would.

Thanedar, 67, represents Michigan’s 13th congressional district, which consists primarily of Detroit and parts of its suburbs. He was sworn in as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this month.

He is the fifth Indian American to join the current Congress, joining four Indian Americans, Dr. Ami Bella, Dr. Raja Krishnamoorthy, Dr. Lo Khanna and Dr. Pramila Jayapal.

“Historically, I don’t think this[India-U.S. relationship]has been as strong as it should have been. We are the two largest democracies. India has enormous economic power. India now has the leadership of the G-20,” Thanedar told PTI.

His first month in the House was very historic as he took 15 ballots to elect the Speaker. This week, he became a member of his two House committees of influence, the Small Business Committee and the Homeland Security Committee.

“India has been recognized for its economic strength. The United States will benefit. Trust, mutual economic relations…more trade, trade with each other,” he said.

“By being the fifth Indian-American elected, we have reached the highest standards. We want to use this opportunity to build strong India-US relations. I want to work hard and help commerce help people.I think both countries will be able to work together with a lot of trust and a lot of cooperation,” Taneder said.

Thanedar’s story is from rags to riches. He arrived in the United States when he was 24, primarily to escape the poverty and financial hardships he and his family faced.

He points out that he grew up in poverty in India, his home had no running water and often no electricity, and his entire family of six siblings and parents lived together in one house. board.

“There were times when I didn’t know where my next meal would come from. So I understand the struggles of working families because I grew up in poverty and I’ve struggled. I understand the tough choices they make. I need it,” he said.

He said Indian Americans have contributed so much to the growth and success of the United States, and that’s great.

“We have some of the best doctors. There are also responsibilities beyond achieving the American Dream – we have an obligation to give back.”

Mr Thanedar, a businessman-turned-politician, said he would spend the rest of his life serving his people.

As an MP, he says his priority areas are education, poverty alleviation and health care. There are many poor people in his constituency.

Ultimately, it is about improving quality of life. Covid-19 has hit the city of Detroit hard, especially the black and brown communities, he said.

“What Covid has done has shown that there is poverty in a rich country like the United States.There are 25% of people in my district below the poverty level.We have this huge wealth disparity. Republicans gave tax cuts to the rich, but that didn’t help either.

He said the lives of those at the bottom of the economic ladder haven’t changed in decades.

“We have to approach it in a completely different way. We have to create opportunities at the bottom… I mean trade education. Yes, we need to start working, and then we need to create health insurance and separate it from employment.”

Thanedar said people should have health insurance regardless of their employment status and should not worry about whether a major medical crisis will bankrupt them.

“No one should worry. If they’re going to pay for insulin or prescription drugs or they’re going to pay for fever or they’re going to pay for food, we shouldn’t be making those kinds of things. Our residents don’t have to make those act choices in a country that is the richest country in the world,” he said.

“This just shows that we have to pay more attention. We need to look at this differently. It’s not about top-down economics, it’s about lifting bottom-up and creating opportunities. It’s kind of an entrepreneurial opportunity,” he said.

“So we need to address economic issues first and foremost. Then we can talk about other issues that are just as important, such as the right to vote. We need to ensure that everyone has the freedom and ability to vote. Yes,” Tanedar said.

(Except for the headline, this article is unedited by NDTV staff and published from a syndicated feed.)