SENATE RESOLUTION

8664

BySenators Dhingra, Das, Takko, Lovelett, Billig, Hasegawa, Wilson, C., Hunt, Holy, Padden, and Stanford

WHEREAS, January 26, 2020, marked the 71st Republic Day in India, celebrating the adoption of the Constitution of the world's largest democracy; and

WHEREAS, India achieved independence from British rule through peaceful and nonviolent resistance; and

WHEREAS, India's Constitution asserts equality before law, and declares, "that the State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India"; and

WHEREAS, India has a strong tradition of maintaining democratic ideals through robust checks on those in power; and

WHEREAS, The first prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, wrote to caution himself and his own supporters, "We want no Caesars"; and

WHEREAS, Washington state has many cultural and economic ties to India, including more than 60,000 Indian Americans living in the state; and

WHEREAS, Indian Americans are small business owners, entrepreneurs, and CEOs of Washington companies, including the founding officers of many Seattle-based tech companies; and

WHEREAS, These businesses provide valuable services, resources, and jobs to the people of this state; and

WHEREAS, Indian Americans have been emigrating to the West Coast since the 19th century, working in our most vital industries including agriculture, logging, and trade; and

WHEREAS, Indian Americans reflect the values of inclusion and pluralism through their many cultural and religious identities, including Muslim, Sikh, and Hindu; and

WHEREAS, Indian Americans serve selflessly in our armed forces and in law enforcement, and contribute profoundly to the health care industry and Washington's institutions of higher education;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate honor Republic Day 2020 as a symbol of the shared values of democracy, diversity, and inclusion, between the nation of India and both the State of Washington and the United States of America.