By IANS,
Bangalore : They will have a big bash this weekend. Not only that, some techies in India’s Silicon Valley who had all along rooted for Barack Obama in the US are firming up plans to attend his oath-taking ceremony Jan 20.
“We are very delighted that Obama has won the election,” Balaji S. Venkat, president of the Barack Obama Bangalore Fan Club, told IANS.
“We have decided that two members of the club will attend the inauguration. History has been created as America just got its first African American president,” Venkat said, adding that he along with the club’s vice president Sandip Kumar would be at Obama’s inauguration.
“We’ve sent congratulatory messages to Obama and the Democratic party on the historic win and have started celebrating his win. We have planned a big bash coming weekend,” added Venkat.
The support from techies comes in spite of fears in India that the global financial meltdown may force Obama to turn protectionist and put curbs on outsourcing.
“Obama is clear about all the contentious election topics, including outsourcing and globalisation. He has stated in his election campaign that he would not put up walls around the US economy and follow a free trade policy,” said Venkat.
“We’re sure Obama will build bridges among the nations for economic development of all,” he said.
The club was formed by a group of techies in Bangalore in August to garner support for Obama from the large Indian community in the US by e-mailing, SMSing and telephoning friends and relatives to vote for the Democrat.
Since August, the members of the club had taken out 15 road rallies in Bangalore, mostly on Saturdays and Sundays, carrying placards and distributing pamphlets to passers-by on why the US as well as India need Obama in the White House.
The club has also raised Rs.200,000 ($4,100) from fellow Bangaloreans as contribution to his election fund.
“We asked the denizens of the city to cajole their friends and relatives out in the US to vote for Obama,” said the software professional who works in the IT-company, Strategic Offshore Consulting Services Global.
“We know he is the man who will bail out the world from economic crisis and stop unnecessary wars on various countries started during Republican President George Bush,” said Venkat.