Celebrities take on: Who will be the next Potus?

As the US presidential elections goes into its final lap, towards November 8, the debate on whether Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump will become the next POTUS becomes louder. Even as bilateral relationships between India and the US continue to grow stronger, the electoral frenzy has continued on Indian shores too. Last week, Trump tried to woo NRIs in the US while continuing his canvassing, even as Hillary promises stronger relationships between the two nations. Such acts have only gone on to reiterate India’s value in the Indian context. We speak to celebrities and Indian opinion makers on who they think India wants to see as the next POTUS, and why.

We get celebrities to give their take on a current issue each week and lend their perspective to a much-discussed topic. This week we talk about: Who will be the next POTUS?

Indrajit Lankesh, Filmmaker AND producer: ‘I would use the NOTA vote’

This election is like choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea. Of course, they are trying their best to generate as many votes from Indians as they can, as there are quite a few NRIs residing there, and these votes could be the game changer. With Donald Trump, I can only foresee trouble — maybe even a Third World War. And while Hillary Clinton handles situations well, her governance has failed in the past. I’m not in favour of either of them and if it were upto me, I would use the NOTA (None Of The Above) vote.  

Meghna Pant, Author: ‘She is the best poised to lead her country’

In 2009, when I was working as a business reporter at the New York Stock Exchange, Hillary Clinton came to ring the bell. I remember hearing her speak during the press conference. She was articulate, passionate and displayed all the qualities a political leader must have. My personal interaction with her left a strong impression that was further enhanced when I heard her vision for the US economy, immigrants, and women. While I hope she wins, I also feel that her win should not come from a place that is anti-Trump, or from the world’s desire to see a female US President. Let’s not diminish her victories and her struggles by pegging it to the odiousness of Trump, but by knowing that she is the best poised to lead her country.

LAVANYA Shanbhogue Arvind, Author: ‘There’s enough acerbic commentary against Trump’

India battles its own kind of right-wing extremism and blatant Hindutva entrenched nationalism every day. We know what Trump propagates. There’s enough acerbic commentary against Trump but yet he has gone this far. That kind of ideology based on xenophobia, racism, sexism and misogyny is not good for democracy as an institution. It’s interesting and heartening to note that he has zero major newspaper endorsements, a first for American polity.

Newspapers like The Dallas Morning News and Cincinnati Enquirer have broken away from centuries’-long tradition of backing Republican candidates and have backed a democrat. I am hopeful that US, as a country and democracy, as a large system that works on the politics of identity and representation has enough checks and balances to probably ensure that no single individual can do lasting damage even if elected to power.

T P SREENIVASAN, Former Ambassador of India: ‘The blow inflicted on American democracy is grievous’

India does not have much to choose between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. But fortunately, India-US relations have always been bipartisan and they have had their ups and downs on account of the changes in the geopolitical scene. Both Democrats and Republicans have made gestures to India in the past. The choice presented to the US voters is between Hillary Clinton, who is generally considered untrustworthy and Donald Trump, who is considered unfit to be President. The blow inflicted on American democracy is grievous, whoever wins. I would, therefore accept the verdict of the people of the US, who will make a choice on the basis of their own national interests and trust that either of them will not damage India-US relations.

Praveen Khandelwal, National General Secretary,  (CAIT): ‘Trump can be unpredictable’

As someone from the industry, I think India would want Hillary Clinton to be the next POTUS. We have already seen the regime of Bill Clinton. When Vajpayee was the prime minister, Bill made several attempts to build a strategic relationship with India. With Hillary Clinton, we can expect a better strategic partnership. When we evaluate both the candidates, we have seen Hillary as a rather stable politician, whereas Trump can be unpredictable.