Dr. Smita Pandey
Indians account for more than three-fourths or 75 per cent of those highly-skilled professionals waiting in queue to obtain legal permanent residence status in the US, popularly known as Green Card, the latest figures released by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) show .The wait has got longer -up to 92 years- to fulfill the American dream.
What is its magnetic, hypnotic pull that professionals are willing to wait for a lifetime to get the coveted Green Card? It is the Open Sesame to progress and prosperity and much more. The American Dream, as relevant today, as comprehensively defined by James Truslow Adams in 1931, “life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement” regardless of social class or circumstances of birth. The American Dream is rooted in the Declaration of Independence which proclaims that ” all men are created equal ” with the right to life, liberty and equal happiness.” This dream has been converted into reality and continues to exercise a mesmerizing hold on billions aspiring to reach this magic land and realise their aspirations-even if it involves waiting for aeons and aeons.
Immigrants fleeing from war, terror regimes, brutal dictatorships, banana republics, repressive regimes of theologian states, statelessness, social and cultural persecution, natural disasters, perilous climate change – is understandable and necessary. They can breathe freely and enjoy a civilized life in the Promised Land as their native land had deprived them of even the basics of existence and liberty, equality, fraternity had been nullified and annihilated. They had no choice. Hence they have no option but to wait, in another land, in their quest for a free life.
It is not so for the largest democracy in the world, one of the fastest growing economies, whose civilizational heritage of composite unity is the richest ,having the critical demographic dividend and the intellectual capital to become a global leader-India. However it is startling that Indians constitute the majority of this waiting throng. As of May 2018, out of 3,95,025 foreign nationals waiting for Green Card, 3,06,601 were Indians. Under the existing law in the US, applicants from any one country cannot be granted more than seven per cent of the Green Cards. An Indian skilled worker may have to wait anywhere between 25-92 years to get a Green Card.
Currently Trump’s hostility to immigration notwithstanding, Indians are striving to increase the HB 1 visas too and our sun rise sector Companies are constantly being hit by America reducing its outsourcing to us. Why is any manner of getting a work permit in USA so sought after? Why did Indians make this their priority/ choice? Our constitutional ethos guarantees us all the necessary freedoms and we have fundamental rights to safeguard and guarantee all the vital human liberties. We have equality of opportunity and as is constantly being reiterated a chaiwallah has become the PM of our nation .Many others, cattle grazers, wrestlers. Teachers, garib ka Beta/Beti to film stars, have made amazing progress and are not only formidable leaders of various political parties but have also catapulted themselves into the wealthiest of this land. This amazing progress has not been replicated in USA. Why do we still not have an Indian Dream?
India has all the potential of a Promised land and more .However, it has not optimised as yet because of our inept leadership and incompetent governance. Every government has continued the political tradition of fraudulent promises ,to dupe the electorate and never to be redeemed .Every election is still fought on the basics of roti, kapda, makaan and the hapless janata still awaits the crumbs of basic existence. Lowest benchmarks of bijli, pani , sadak and school still remain a distant dream. Problem is not there of resources -which are available in abundance. Problem is of there not being enough for our Netas greed. The country’s development has been sacrificed continually. Hence the Nightmarish underdevelopment continues.
We must build the Indian Dream now. A spirit of service ,principled and reasoned, a social conscience and a determined public will to ensure clean ethical governance can only translate this dream. Tagore’s magnificent dream for us will then be a reality- “ I would rather look forward to the opening of a new chapter in his history after the cataclysm is over and the atmosphere rendered clean with the spirit of service and sacrifice. Perhaps that dawn will come from this horizon, from the East where the sun rises.â€
Let us work to do so.
