Democrats’ win may galvanise India baiters but they are unlikely to go beyond rhetoric

But not everyone tracking ties seems concerned about the new-found clout of the democrats

NEW DELHI: On Dec 6, 2019, Democratic member Pramila Jayapal had moved a bipartisan resolution in the US House of Representatives urging India to remove communication curbs in J&K as soon as possible and preserve religious freedom for all residents.New Delhi was furious, and EAM S Jaishankar cancelled a scheduled meeting with US Congressional leaders on Capitol Hill after the organisers refused to deboard Jayapal from the delegation.Jayapal, a hard-baked “progressive” who has needled Indian govt on issues such as “human rights” and “religious freedom”, which have consistently agitated her ilk, is among the winners in the mi­dterm contest, which has seen progressives, aka “democratic socialists”, score stunning victories in unlikely terrains. The strong performance can encourage her and the contingent of insurgents who include known India critics like Ilhan Omar to meddle more in India’s domestic affairs.Jayapal, the re-elected Congress member from the 7th Congressional district of Washington, has not been particularly successful in rallying her fellow lawmakers to her favourite peeves, many of which, New Delhi has suspected, stem from the lobbying by Pakistanis and the Indian American Muslim Council. For instance, in 2019 she had to work hard before she could find a co-sponsor, Republican Congressman Steve Watkins, for her House resolution.But that has not deterred her. In June 20, 2023, she was among 70 US lawmakers who urged then US President Joe Biden to discuss “upholding human rights and democratic values” with PM Modi during the latter’s visit to the US.It will not be surprising if she finds more supporters; for instance, the victor at Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed. Sayed’s wife Sara is from Bhatkal in Karnataka: something that can potentially cause him to take more interest in India affairs than his predecessors.But not everyone tracking ties seems concerned about the new-found clout of the democrats. “Their concern is unlikely to go bey­ond rhetor­ic, which is easier to deal with than the steady stream of provocations from the Trump set-up,” said a US watcher. Also, while their achievements are real, socialists are still a minority, although a vocal and intense one, in the larger democratic party which has a mature understanding of the challenges facing India and the dynamics of bilateral ties.Another observer said that while Trumpism has faded, revival of many of the “liberal causes” and rehabilitation of the “woke extremism” that marked Biden’s presidency and defined Kamala Harris’s campaign seem unlikely. “There is greater appreciation of the concern about unbridled immigration in the entire West, which would act as a check against those who lean on India to throw open its borders. And while disgust with Trump may have led many to wink at support from rabblerousers like Hasan Piker, who made light of 9/11 attacks, for Al-Sayed in Michigan, the democratic establishment is appreciative of India’s concerns about terror. ”