US Elections 2020: Indian-Americans celebrate Biden, Harris election victory

Washington, Nov 07: Indian-Americans on Saturday said that they were thrilled at the election of Joe Biden as the next president of the United States and described his running mate Senator Kamala Harris' victory as a dream come true for the community.

The Biden-Harris ticket has defeated incumbent President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence in a bitterly-fought election that attracted a record number of Americans to cast their votes.

"This is a big day (for Indian-Americans)," Silicon Valley-based Indian-American and Indiaspora founder M Rangaswami told PTI soon after major media US outlets declared Biden, 77, as the next president and Harris, 56, as the next vice president of the country.

"Joe Biden has a long record of supporting closer ties with India. As a senator, he led the effort to approve the US-India civil nuclear deal. As vice president, he not only visited India but was also instrumental in India being designated a 'Major Defense Partner' of America. He supports a permanent seat for India on the UN Security Council," Rangaswami said.

"Who would've thought that Indian Americans, a very young immigrant community in the world's oldest democracy, would have a vice president in such short order. It's beyond our wildest imaginations, but this is the American Dream! It's why immigrants come to America," Rangaswami said in response to a question.

The community will have direct representation in the executive branch with Vice President-Elect Harris, who will be the first Black woman to hold the office, said Neha Dewan, national director of South Asians for Biden.

"South Asians for Biden is elated to celebrate the hard-fought victory earned by President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris in this election," she said.

"American patriots have taken their country back," tweeted Preet Bharara. Describing it as a truly historic election, Neera Tanden, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress said that Biden, Harris victory was powered by one of the most diverse coalitions in history, with stunning apparent victories from Georgia to Arizona to the Midwest.

"This is a truly a historic election. More Americans voted in this election than in any other, and President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris have received more votes than any other presidential ticket in the history of our country. For the first time, we will also have a woman of colour and a daughter of immigrants ascend to the second-highest office in the land," Tanden said.

Tanden said that Americans have chosen to relegate Trump's toxic legacy to the past and, instead, bring about a new government that seeks to unite people rather than divide them, as well as one that more closely reflects the diversity of the American people.

"Voters chose a progressive vision, one that is in favour of a strong and united coronavirus response; an inclusive economy; more affordable and accessible health care; better infrastructure; and climate resilience. That more progressive vision also seeks to finally address the bleak history and continuing challenges of racial injustice and inequality," she said.

"This is truly a remarkable win for the future of America, our democracy, and the entire South Asian community. That the Biden-Harris ticket unseated an incumbent president is a historic feat and represents a convincing repudiation of President Trump and his abhorrent worldview," Dewan said.

"Early indications are that our diverse South Asian community played a pivotal role in this victory by not only voting in unprecedented numbers, but also by undertaking the work of organising the community to make this outcome more likely," Dewan said.