Indian Americans in favour of Modi and BJP: Survey
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Nearly half of the Indian Americans participated in a new survey support Prime Minister Narendra Modi and favour the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The survey, "How Do Indian Americans View India? Results from the 2020 Indian American Attitudes Survey (IAAS)," was conducted in September 2020 by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Pennsylvania. The respondents include 1,200 Indian Americans, the second-largest immigrant group in the United States.
However, 12 per cent of foreign-born survey respondents were visibly pessimistic about India's trajectory, while 3 per cent of the same category believe that India is on the right track. 68 per cent of Trump supporters are in favour of Modi, while just 17 per cent do not favour him. On the other hand, Trump detractors amongst the respondents showed mixed opinions on Modi's performance. 41 per cent are satisfied with Modi's performance, while 38 per cent are not.
When asked about the recent policy issues, majority of the Indian Americans were in favour of an all-India National Register of Citizens, NRC (55%) and the 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act, CAA (51%). However, 65 per cent opposed the use of police force on peaceful protesters and 69 per cent were against defamation and sedition laws against reporters and others critical of the Modi government. Fifty-three per cent of the survey respondents agree that Hindu majoritarianism is a threat to minorities in Indian democracy.
On the issue of higher education admissions reflecting caste identity as a factor, 47 per cent support this measure and 53 per cent oppose it.
Respondents rate Modi, the BJP, and the RSS on the warmer scale with Republicans more favourably inclined to these actors. "When it comes to the Congress Party and Gandhi, however, both Democrats and Republicans are relatively bearish: even the mean ratings for them among Democratic respondents do not rise above fifty," conveys the study.
Nearly two-thirds (36%) of Indian Americans hold an unfavourable opinion of China, while 12 per cent of Indian Americans hold a somewhat favourable view of China.
The first-generation Indian Americans, who opted US citizenship, gave importance to their national values. However, the second generation of the diaspora gave lesser importance to Indian element of their Indian American identity and was less aware of Indian politics.
