LONDON, February 20: Patel, a newsagent in north London listens to Sunrise Radio through his shopkeeping hours. He knows that there is an election in India.The Southall-based community radio station has regular updates on the election process in its news bulletins. But, Patel does not really know when voting began, or when it will end or when a government will be formed, or in fact what the various political groupings involved in the election are.
He is not unique. It would appear that the majority of people of Indian origin in Britain have little or no interest in the ongoing election and its outcome.
This is especially true of second-generation immigrants, those who were born here, and whose connection with India is tenuous.
Dipesh Gadher, news editor of Eastern Eye, a weekly newspaper aimed at second-generation Asians in Britain says that their readers really have no interest in the election, "They have no interest in what is going on in India." He said the Indian election would "never geton to our front page. For a majority of our readers this is not an issue."
Apart from Sunrise Radio, Zee TV has also brought into people's living rooms news of daily happenings in India. Zee's attractions are its films and other entertainment.
Says Gurdial Singh, "You also end up seeing the news, you know what's happening, but it doesn't mean you are interested." Singh said that when or how the election turned out was rarely discussed by his friends, but the mainstream British press's coverage of the elections highlighting the levels of corruption, violence and booth-capturing did raise comment.
Yogesh Patel, who works at the Swaminarayan Temple said, "I am settled in the UK, while I have cultural links with India, but I don't take an interest in politics." Yet, he said, "it is sickening to hear about the extent of corruption .. the number of scams you read about .. the same people contesting elections .. it is beyond comprehension."
In Southall, the stronghold of Britain's Punjabi community,first-generation immigrants have maintained direct interest in Indian politics.
Mahinder Singh, from the Sikh Mission Society, said that he and others in the community "only care what happens in Punjab .. we don't care who is at the centre, after all there are only 13 people from Punjab at the centre and they will not make an iota of difference .. who ever comes will be against the Sikhs.. we have seen that for the last 50 years ..."
Southall's involvement in Indian politics was a given fact during Punjab's turbulent '80s. G S Virk, the editor of Des Pardes, the Punjabi weekly published here, says that this continues and the Akali Dal UK has gone to Punjab to campaign among the families of UK immigrants.
He said, "people who come as asylum seekers keep the interest in politics alive".
His readers, he said, have a very keen interest "in what happens in Punjab, especially Faridkot, Patiala and Jallandhar."
Virk said that Southall Sikhs were divided among those who hoped for a BJP governmentwhich would make room for Akalis and those who hoped for a secularist UF government.
Among the "older generation" with an interest in the election are the members of the Indian Muslims Federation, who have written to Muslim organisations and politicians in India exhorting them to vote tactically to keep the BJP out of government.
Ghazali Khan, a spokesperson for the organisation said, "As far as the Muslim community is concerned there is alarm at the speculation that the BJP will come to power.. they see the Congress as the lesser of two evils.."
Khan maintained that over time concern with India's political situation would diminish. He said, "The longer you stay here, the less interest you have... the only attachment that remains is roots .. nothing else..."
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
