It is not surprising that some Hindus are supporting Trump. Indian Americans are the latest “model minorities.” They enjoy a high socioeconomic standing. It was due to an immigration policy in the US that encouraged highly skilled labor from India. About half of Indian Americans are Hindus, and they tend to lean more toward the Democratic Party. However, prominent members of the diaspora in the US, UK, and elsewhere are strong supporters of key issues within Trump’s platform.
The Republican Hindu Coalition’s event in New Jersey featured a “family-friendly” program, including Bollywood performances and a keynote speaker, Donald Trump. Before taking the stage, Donald Trump lit a DIYA (oil lamp traditionally found in Hindu temples).
Entrepreneurial success
Trump emphasized entrepreneurial success in India as well as among American Hindus. Trump insisted on the contribution of “[Hindu] values” such as hard work, education, and enterprise to US society. Trump also endorsed core Republican principles, such as lower taxes for small businesses and middle-class families.
Hindus are among the most highly educated and have one of America’s highest average household incomes. Trump’s appeal for neoliberal conservatism also influences this demographic.
He referred to the economic plans of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which drew a lot of applause, as a good model for America.
Modi’s “Make In India” initiative, launched in 2014, encourages foreign direct investment to create jobs. The initiative eliminates bureaucratic and tax red tape to encourage more business-friendly industries, especially in manufacturing and production. The aim of the government is to make India a 21st century economic powerhouse.
Many American Hindus believe that Trump’s “Make America Great Again,” a vision of making America great again, is based on similar neoliberal policy. Trump’s projection of the myth of the American Dream attracts a wider audience by embodying American capitalism ideals.
Illegal Immigration and the Wall
Trump received applause as well for his call to construct a wall at the US-Mexico Border, echoing similar proposals made by Hindu nationalists on the right to build a border wall between India and Bangladesh.
The arrival of low-wage Bangladeshi migrants to Indian cities, often described as India’s “Mexican Problem,” is often portrayed as illegal immigrants threatening the local (that is Hindu) jobs. This is despite much larger migration flows of Bangladeshis to Arab Gulf States and Southeast Asia.
Hindu immigrants in the United States add value to specific industries such as engineering, IT, and medicine that need highly skilled workers.
Bobby Jindal is an Indian-American Republican politician who supports Trump. He best represents these views by stating that “Immigration without Assimilation” and also strongly advocating for the construction of a wall on the US-Mexico Border.
Combating ‘radical Islamic terror’
Trump praises India for its role in combating “radical Islamic terror”. Trump, in his address to American Hindus in his speech, praised India’s relations with Pakistan in foreign policy.
Trump’s actions strike at the core of the Hindu nationalism narrative, which is anti-Muslim fear, in which Islam is seen as a threat to Indian national security. Since 1947, when India and Pakistan were divided, Muslims make up 14% of India’s population (about 172 million people) and are India’s second-largest religion.
Hindu nationalists have referred to their minorities as “anti-national”, which has reinforced the notion that India is Hindu and Pakistan Muslim. These Bangladeshi migrants are also stigmatized because they promote Islamist activities.
The stories of these “radicalized” migrants prompted a reactionary response to increasing border security.
Donald Trump attends a charity event in New Jersey organized by the Republican Hindu Coalition. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Islamophobic Views are a result of anti-Muslim prejudice in subcontinental America towards Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, and other Muslims. The younger generation of American Hindus is challenging this divide and trying to build solidarity between all forms of racial or religious discrimination. However, there are still a large number of Americans who hold negative stereotypes.
A wave of anti-establishment and corruption
Trump also calls out “crooked Hillary,” a woman who is linked to the politically correct establishment. The recent anti-establishment trend in global politics is well documented, but something about Trump’s platform resonates with Hindus.
Trump’s description of Modi as “a very energetic role model who has reformed the Indian bureaucracy” shows his admiration for the initiative taken by India’s prime minister to eradicate corruption.
Modi’s campaign in 2014 was a huge success, largely due to his persona as he was a figure who stood against the establishment. Modi, the son of a tea seller, is a shining example that even outsiders are capable of making a difference.
Before he assumed office, India’s political scene had been dominated by the National Congress Party since independence. The electorate wanted a new perspective, which the charismatic Modi brought.
A poster was displayed at the RHC that depicted Hillary Clinton with devil horns working with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi in order to eliminate Modi as part of a “Witch Hunt.”
The conspiracy theories about political elites are clearly linked to establishment connections. These constructed fallacies have been largely promoted by social media sites, reinforcing limited worldviews.
Hindutva
Hindus for Trump is the best example of how Hindutva (Hindu-ness) operates as an ideologic phenomenon affecting the Indian diaspora.
Hindutva is the official ideology of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. It provides the theoretical basis for Hindu nationalist initiatives both in India as well as abroad. Hindutva in the diaspora offers important financial support for affiliate organizations in India.
The current US election cycle reveals a change in American Hindu identity centered on different frames of belonging. This will have a profoundly transformative impact on politics in both the US and India.