Native Americans Across Houston React to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Reelection

From Houston Public Media:

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sworn for a rare third term earlier this month.

But his political party, the BJP, lost more than 50 parliamentary seats, without managing to obtain a simple majority in Parliament.

When Modi arrived at NRG Stadium in Houston in 2019, the rally exhausted. Dubbed “Howdy Modi,” the event featured cultural performances and speakers, including then-President Donald Trump. Around 50,000 people participated, soon after Modi won his second term.

Across Houston, Modi's supporters and critics eagerly awaited the election results.

This year, Modi's BJP party aims to win a supermajority in Parliament.

But the Hindu Nationalist Party fell short of this goal, failing to secure even half of the 543 seats.

Although the BJP won the most seats among all parties, it still had to work with its allies to form a coalition government.

Ashish Agrawal has lived in the Houston area for about 25 years and is no stranger to politics: He ran for the Fort Bend ISD school board and led efforts to encourage Hindus to vote in local elections.

In a recent conversation over a Sugar Land coffee shop, he said he thought the general election results were nothing out of the ordinary.

“We look at who got the most votes, who got the most seats, and that party is invited to form their government,” he said.

Agrawal said he believed the government had helped India grow its economy and make the country more secure under Modi.

Some other Houston residents agree.

At the Desi Brothers Farmers Market in Sugar Land, Ankur Desai was wrapping neem leaves while working at the South Asian grocery store.

Desai hails from Gujarat, the state where Modi grew up and began his political career.

Desai said that earlier, many did not have electricity, but thanks to the Modi government, they now have it.

“Roads and infrastructure are being built,” he said.

Nevertheless, Modi remains a controversial figure.

During his visit to Houston, about 12,000 people gathered outside the rally to protest the treatment of minorities, particularly Muslim Indians.

In the early 2000s, the US government banned Modi from entering the country.

They said he failed to intervene during riots in which Hindus killed more than a thousand people, most of whom were Muslims.

More recently, Modi dedicated a controversial Hindu temple built on the site of a razed Muslim mosque. And in a speech in April he called Muslims “infiltrators.”

Samina Salim has lived in the Houston area for approximately 25 years. She is a board member of the Indian-American Muslim Council.

She said she was surprised by the election results, which she saw as a rejection of anti-Muslim rhetoric and policies.

“It is true that Mr. Modi got a third term, but not with the majority,” she said. “So it’s a big blow to this myth of Modi that he’s somehow invincible.”

Shakeib Mashhood is the president of the Houston chapter of the Indian-American Muslim Council. He said he stayed up until the early hours to watch the election results come in.

“I was also very concerned and disturbed by the hateful incidents and speeches made specifically by (the) BJP party, and that was really very concerning to me,” he said.

Last week, Dhiraj Patil visited an indoor cricket center in Houston where a handful of men practiced their batting skills.

He said he followed the election results through the news and WhatsApp conversations with family and friends.

Patil said he believed the BJP was promoting casteism and a “Hindu agenda”. He hopes the changes in Parliament will lead to a more balanced government.

“They’re fine,” he said. “They just need to stop promoting an agenda that they thought was popular, but apparently that’s not the case.”