US Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris’s uncle Gopalan Balachandran, in an email interview with CNN-News18, said that it was high time America recognised that “governance capabilities, at both private and public service, need not be the privilege of any one group of citizens”.
“All the countries in South Asia had women prime ministers within a few decades of their independence,” said the academician based in Delhi.
Balachandran, a former consultant at the Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses, returned to India after PhD in Economics and computer Science from University of Wisconsin. ‘Bala Sir’ to Scholars at IDSA, he spoke about the values inculcated in Harris by his late sister (her mother), and his last meeting with the Presidential candidate.
Edited excerpts:
How do you look at Joe Biden stepping down from the Presidential race?
It has energised the Democratic Party.
Kamala Harris was a running mate of Biden in 2020 now she has Biden’s nomination. What are her chances of running for the office and getting support at DNC?
She is already supported by all who will matter at the DNC.
Initially everyone thought it would be difficult for her to get endorsements but the way Obamas and Clinton all have supported her, it is pretty clear that her candidacy would be confirmed in August.
Correct.
Kamala Harris is the second woman running after Hillary. How strong is she as a candidate? What are your views on the US getting a woman President?
It is high time for a 200+ years old democracy to recognise that governance capabilities, at both private and public service, need not be the privilege of any one group of citizens in a country. It should be open to all irrespective of gender/ethnicity/colour. After all, many of the new democracies, for example, all the countries in South Asia, had women prime ministers within a few decades of their independence!
How do you look at works undertaken by her as a vice-president?
The Vice-President in USA has very little executive power. As one former US Vice-President remarked, his only job was to read the morning papers to verify that the President was still alive. Their main usefulness comes only when the votes in the Senate are tied on any bill. Kamala had exercised her vote to break the tie in the senate, more than any Vice-President in recent times, to help many of President Biden’s legislative bills become law.
There is a lot of excitement among Indians on any news related to her. This time around, again, her Indian origin is in the news…
Not surprising. Last time it was because she was the VP candidate. Now it is as the presidential candidate.
Kamala always talks about her mother and challenges she faced growing up. Tell us a little about that.
I cannot add much to what Kamala has already said except that I am not surprised. My late sister was a very accomplished scientist, someone who was aware of the social and professional handicaps which women and minorities/coloured people faced in the US. She, by her own example, showed her daughters how to fight such prejudices, overcome them and reach for what they want to do.
When was your last meet with Kamala?
Recently, when she invited her family members to DC dinner at her residence.
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