Rahul Gandhi's discussion with US expert: balance will change, Chinese leadership fears

New delhi date. 12 June 2020, Friday

Amid the Corona virus crisis, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday held talks with former US diplomat Nicholas Burns. Rahul Gandhi and Nicholas Burns discussed a number of issues, including the current situation, black citizens, Hindu-Muslim, democracy. At the time, Rahul Gandhi also talked about the Corona fight, lockdown and its effects in both the countries. So let's see the part of the conversation between the two-

Rahul: What is happening in America now, why does it look like this?

Nicholas: This has been happening to African-Americans in America for a long time. Martin Luther King has done a great job in America and Mahatma Gandhi was his role model. America chose a leader like Barack Obama as president but what is being seen today. Everyone has the right to demonstrate but US President Blake considers people terrorists.

Rahul: Both India and America are tolerant countries. They understand and respect new ideas but today there is trouble in both countries.

Nicholas: Demonstrations are taking place in almost every city in America today in a way that can be called democracy. Looking at a country like China, we are very good. The same is true in India and after a long struggle we have got independence. It is hoped that American democracy will be strengthened again.

Rahul: The divisions that are emerging will weaken the countries. The country is weakened when you divide people by race or religion. Those who are weakening the country are calling themselves nationalists.

Nicholas: I think Donald Trump is like that. He believes he can do everything the same. But the army has refused to take to the streets, telling us that they will run according to the constitution, not the president. It is the right of the American people to demonstrate but those in power are challenging democracy. Countries like China and Russia still have dictatorships.

Rahul: India and the US used to have good relations but now in the last few years they have only become commercial.

Nicholas: We have very few parties there agree on one idea but America has always been with India. The best relations between the two countries are between the people who bring the country together. Everywhere in our country today there are Indian Americans who are the hallmark of our country.

Countries like China and Russia are like a challenge to us. We do not want to fight but it is our responsibility to protect ourselves.

Rahul: How are the relations between the two countries moving forward?

Nicholas: Our country's military ties are very strong, whether it's the Army or the Air Force. I think both countries should relax the strict rules on the movement of people. Work can be done on H1B visas and the rules can be simplified.

Rahul: The US has worked on a big idea with Korea-Japan but now there is no new idea in the US as you have no hope for the whole world.

Nicholas: I remember when we were working with Manmohan Singh, there was work on trade, military, etc. between the two countries. We were also working on big ideas. But now is the time for both countries to come together and give people freedom. We are not fighting with China but need an ideological war going on.

Rahul: I think democracy is right every time. We have to strengthen our democracy. Today the people of both the countries are afraid to say anything but we have to bring back the atmosphere like before.

Nicholas: Both countries have to talk and work on this.

Rahul: Didn't the two countries come together in the Koro crisis?

Nicholas: The G20 should have come together in this crisis, but it didn't happen. Leaders like Prime Minister Modi, Trump and Shinzo Abe needed to come to the same stage but it did not happen. Trump alone wants to bring America forward and Jinping wants to fight with him.

Rahul: I talked to a big businessman. He told me not to talk to him. The risk will come. Is there such a danger everywhere that you can't even talk openly?

Nicholas: This is the whole world where the opposition has had trouble.

Rahul: I know our country's DNA is not like that but this time is bad. Today people are coming together. But now what will happen in countries like America-Russia-India-China.

Nicholas: So far we have set aside a big issue like climate change but now we have to talk about a global politics. There will be an issue where it all needs to come together, such as the Corona crisis. In the last 17 years many kinds of diseases have come but the country has not come along.

Rahul: Will the balance of power change?

Nicholas: Everyone is saying that China is winning but it is not. China is growing but it is not comparable to America. The reason is that the Chinese leadership is afraid. There is no democracy and the whole world is watching what is happening in Hong Kong. India and America are champions of democracy.

Find out who Nicholas Burns is

Nicholas is currently a professor in the Department of Practice of Diplomacy and International Politics at the John F. Kennedy School in Howard. During his career in the State Department, he was the Under Secretary of the United States Department of Political Affairs and has been a key negotiator on the US-India Atomic Agreement.