Campaign outsourcing: Bangalore
techies root for Obama
By
Maitreyee Boruah
Bangalore,
Nov 3 (IANS) Democrat Barack Obama may not be enthusiastic
about outsourcing work to India's Silicon Valley but that
has not deterred a group of techies here from drumming up
support for him in Tuesday's US elections.
The
Barack Obama Bangalore Fan Club has not only been calling
up, SMSing and emailing friends and relatives in the US to
vote for him, it has also raised Rs.200,000 (about $4,100)
from fellow Bangaloreans as contribution to his election fund!
Since
August the Club has taken out 15 rallies, mostly on Saturdays
and Sundays, carrying placards and distributing pamphlets
to curious passers-by on why the US as well as India need
Obama in the White House.
"Our
road rallies were a huge hit among the public. Along with
carrying placards and distributing pamphlets, our members
also gave brief speeches to the audience who were eager to
know more about Obama and his policies and how his win will
benefit India," said Club president Balaji S. Venkat.
"In
our rallies we did not ask for funds from public. But money
poured in from several quarters voluntarily. Some have donated
a few hundred (rupees), others donated as much as a few thousands,"
Venkat told IANS.
The
Club is in touch with the Democratic party to pass on the
contribution. "We are also in touch with our relatives
in the US and urging them to vote for Obama."
What made the Club members back Obama and campaign on his
behalf though the two are over 9,000 km apart?
"Obama
is for change and so are we," Venkat replied.
"We
believe in Obama and his policies. He is a dynamic and energetic
leader and we are hopeful that his policies will have a positive
impact in helping the world and India to tide over the current
economic meltdown.
"The
very idea of the campaign is to make the Bangaloreans realise
that if Obama becomes the next president of the US, it will
do good for the world. We want all denizens of the city to
ask their friends and relatives out in the US to vote for
Obama," added the software professional who works with
a city-based IT company, Strategic Offshore Consulting Services
Global.
The
Club has only seven core members. But it has several volunteers,
mostly IT engineers and management consultants, Venkat said.
Another
member of the Club said: "We believe Obama will bring
world peace and control the current financial crisis.
"Obama
is clear about all the contentious election topics, including
outsourcing and globalization. He has stated in his campaign
that he would not put up walls around the US economy and follow
a free trade policy."
In
an interview to IANS last week, Obama said he would give "top
priority" to build close strategic partnership with India
under his presidency.
"His
policies towards India are quite pragmatic and this will help
in building close strategic partnership between the two nations.
We are hopeful that if he gets elected, his tenure will give
more rights to the Indian American community," said Venkat.
It
seems several Bangaloreans have taken the Club's appeal seriously
and have tried to convince their US-based friends and relatives
to vote for Obama.
"After
coming to know about Obama's policies through the Club I have
asked my elder brother to vote for Obama and he has promised
to do so," said Shruti Rakesh, an engineering student
in the city.
Ranjan
Sen, a software professional, said that he was influenced
by the Club's initiative and had asked three of his friends
settled in Florida to support Obama.
The
Indian American community will play a major role in the US
elections. The US is home to a 2.7 million strong Indian diaspora
and 80,000 Indian students.
"We
have seen what the Republicans did to the world during the
Bush rule. Not only we saw the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
but the economic condition of the world has witnessed a downward
curve because of bad policies of Bush's regime," said
D. Jeevan Kumar, a professor of political science at Bangalore
University.
"Thus
it will be a smart decision for the Indian American community
to vote for Obama," he said.
Indo-Asian
News Service
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