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McGreevey Woos Indians

Shubada Deshpande in Woodbridge

Mayor James McGreevey of Woodbridge township, New Jersey, has a tremendous support base in the Indian community. Unlike the last time when he narrowly lost the gubernatorial race, the elections in 2001 may well see him in State house, say Indian community leaders.

"The last time, 83 per cent of Indian Americans gave me their votes, which is the largest any ethnic group has given," said McGreevey, a Democrat, this week at a fund-raiser for him hosted by Indian Americans.

In return, McGreevey pledged to have closer relations with India. "I would start a bipartisan commission between India and New Jersey," he said, "as India has much to contribute towards a New Jersey changing swiftly from a state dominated by chemical industries to that of computers and information technology."

In January, he will be a state guest to India where he is expected to attend the Republic Day Parade at New Delhi. He plans to meet and speak with prominent businesspersons then.

"We want him to meet certain people who are interested in bilateral business opportunities," said Pradip Kothari, president of the Indian Business Association based in the nearby Iselin. He said over $ 50,000 was collected at the fund-raiser. The core committee members each contributed $ 1,000 and the guests contributed $ 100 each to attend the dinner party.

"It's ironic that the Indian community, despite having the highest number of scientists, engineers and doctors amongst all other ethnic groups, did not ever use the political process to benefit themselves,'' McGreevey told rediff.com

"Unlike the Irish and other communities which arrived in large numbers to the US at the beginning of the century, the Indian community has largely come on its own merit, to land better job prospects in the US," he said.

So, despite having the qualifications and because of its relative economic success here, the community has not felt the need to actively participate in the political process, he said. He invited Indians to take part in the democratic process in the US since, after all, India was the largest democracy in the world.

At the very least he would like Indians to be registered voters, he said. The young should consider a career in the municipal, state or federal offices and contest the elections, he felt.

The mayor also plans to go sightseeing in India, escorted by Kothari.

"Somebody has to accompany him and, since I am a community leader here, I will be going," Kothari said. "My job is to see that his stay is comfortable. I will also take him to Gujarat, my home state."

Nearly 350 businesspersons and prominent members of the community attended the fund-raiser.

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