Baffled, disappointed, happy, disgusted…the pulse of young India post US 2016 election results.
In one of the most bitterly contested US Presidential elections, Donald Trump scored a dramatic win. But what are the gains and losses for India? His victory at the recently concluded US elections has come as a shock, especially for teenagers, a majority of who supported Hillary Clinton. Yet, there are always two sides to a story, and several teenagers have their own reasons why they do, or do not support Donald Trump. Here are a few of those voices:
I think Trump has very good economic policy ideas which will definitely benefit India. He has on many occasions placed India in the same category as China, an economic competitor. Also, India-US economic ties could be an area to watch out for. I am in favour of him being elected as President.
Puran Choudhary, 17, Mumbai
India and Pakistan have been at loggerheads due to terrorism. The US has always been inclined towards Pak. Trump’s aggression against terrorism is a boon for us. Hillary might hold a perfect political background, but she favoured the Iraq war, which, many believe, shouldn’t have happened.
Pranav Sriram, 14, Mumbai
When Donald Trump got elected as the next President of the US, my friends and I were jokingly asking each other if we should consider studying in the U.S. Obviously, education is a big industry there and it may not get affected, but we were wondering about the scope of work after graduation.
Anusha Subramanian, 16, Mumbai
Trump is ethnocentric; he does not have a cosmopolitan mind. Moreover his views on Muslims are not healthy.
Aska Khan, 18, New Delhi
I am withdrawing my applications from most of the universities that I am applying to in the US, because of the uncertainty prevailing there after Trump’s victory.
Anas Qazi, 19, New Delhi
I think Trump has no political background unlike the earlier Presidents of the US. So I am skeptical whether his presidency will benefit India. I never heard of him until he stood as a potential candidate in the US elections. I’m not sure if he will prove to be a good President for his country.
Neha Gori, 17, Mumbai
Trump’s campaign was not politically correct, and he has stated very vague policies, which are basically aimed towards protectionism. I am most worried about him tweaking the visa arrangement, which could lead to Indians not getting jobs. That’s not a good sign.
Abhinav Shankarraman, 17, Mumbai
I still can’t believe that he actually became the President of the US. It just shows how prejudiced Americans are. America is a country made of immigrants, and it’s crazy to not want them. As a Muslim especially, I think he is extremely offensive and does not have the acumen to become a President.
Ikram Nagani, 18, Pune
America made a choice between the bad and the worse, and voted in favour of the latter. He’s racist, sexist, misogynist and egoistic. He is so offensive to all the minorities, which is ridiculous, because everyone should be treated equally.
Shivangi Khanna, 18, Mumbai
The US elected a misogynist, racist man, who objectifies women openly, and even speaks about his own family in a derogatory manner. What worries me as a student who aspires to study there next year is —will I be welcomed in a country where the President himself is a racist.
Simran Mehta, 17, Mumbai
I have been reckoning with the reality that Donald Trump won the US elections. I am skeptic about the future of youth under the Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) blanket, an initiative by started by President Obama, in 2012, for the cause of immigrant children.
Aparajita Shrivastav, 19, New Delhi
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