Indian diaspora divided as Modi’s office lobbies US fans to influence vote
Al Jazeera
Amid India’s elections, hope, fear and anxiety grip the Indian diaspora in the US, reflecting divided sentiments about the country’s future under Modi’s potential return to power.
Washington, DC – The WhatsApp message arrives with a colourful infographic highlighting numerous achievements from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decade-long rule. It includes a succinct comparison of statistics on the economy, education, healthcare, welfare schemes and infrastructure development between the period under Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the previous government of the now-in-opposition Congress party.
On every metric, these infographics show India doing better under Modi. It is the sort of message political parties have bombarded Indians with over the past several months as the country holds the world’s largest election, with nearly a billion voters.
But the recipients of this particular message are not Indian voters: They are members of the vast Indian diaspora in the United States, and beyond, who are being encouraged to forward these messages to relatives and friends back in India to amplify Modi’s campaign claims.
At the centre of this diaspora outreach campaign is Non Resident Indians For Mission 2024 (NRIM), a Florida-based company registered in July 2023.
The extent of its work and connections with Modi and his party became public only after the company was registered as a foreign agent by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) in April 2024. FARA is a law that requires individuals and entities acting on behalf of foreign governments, political parties or other foreign principals to disclose their relationships and activities.
Director of the Kamal Adwan hospital says several staff wounded in Israeli bombardment.
Immigrant rights groups fear harsh policies and potential legal pressure could accelerate in second Trump term.
Small islands and least-developed nations say their climate finance interests were ignored.
Global lender says it will release about $333m to crisis-hit nation as signs of economic recovery emerge.
At least four people have been killed in the attack on the Basta neighbourhood, according to the Health Ministry.
A series of unexplained incidents causing damage to pipelines and cables in the Baltic Sea has occurred in the past two years. Could this be a new form of underwater warfare?
The hedge fund manager will be responsible for implementing president-elect’s pledges to cut taxes and raise tariffs.
Cola Gaza offers its drinkers an ‘apartheid-free’ alternative as they boycott big-name brands.
These were the key developments on the 1,003rd day of the Russia-Ukraine war.