Gaya-origin doctor contesting for Mayor in Michigan, US
Patna,(BiharTimes): Seventy-two year-old Indian-American, Syed Sabahuddin Taj, is attempting to become the first Mayor from the community from Canton, a suburb of Detroit, in the US state of Michigan.
Reports from Detroit said Dr Taj has formed a coalition of various ethnic and religious groups to help Democrats take control of a Republican in the suburb of this city.
He is the younger brother of diplomat-turned-politician Syed Shahabuddin. Dr Taj is the third of the four brothers and one sister and originally belongs to Gaya in Bihar.
Syed Shahabuddin had served as ambassador in Algeria and Venezuela. As a politician he later represented Kishanganj in Lok Sabha.
On the other hand Dr Taj, who studied medicine in Patna Medical College and Hospital, unsuccessfully contested for the US House of Representative (Lower House) in 2012.
If elected in the November 8 elections, Dr Taj would be the first Indian-American Mayor in Michigan. He is running for the post of Canton Supervisor, similar to the position of a Mayor.
“We are running on the platform of diversity, transparency and accountability,” Dr Taj, according to a PTI report, said during one of his campaign trails in the town which has a population of about 100,000 including more than 7,000 Indian-Americans.
Dr Taj said it took him about six months’ time working with the Democratic party to prepare a diversity coalition panel of seven top seats in the Canton township.
Besides him, the panel includes one more Indian-American Dhaval Vaishnav who is the president of the Temple of Canton.
“If we (immigrants) stick together, we can make the difference,” he said, adding that it becomes more important at a time when Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, 70, has polarised the elections with his rhetoric and anti-immigrant statements.
“Donald Trump wants to make America Great Again which means make America White Again. This is no longer possible. The US is a country of immigrants. And he should realise that,” Dr Taj said.
Dr Taj was born and brought up in Gaya. After completing schooling from Bihar, he went to Ranchi at St Xavier. He earned his medical degrees from Patna Medical College in 1968.
In 1982, he and his wife Sufia moved to Southeast Michigan to pursue the American dream and be close to relatives as they began to start a family of their own but not before spending several years in the UK, a PTI report said.
Dr Taj said he decided to contest for elected offices in 2005 when he was constructing his house and while making the rounds of the township seeking various licenses and permits, he felt that he was not welcome.
The community also faced similar problems when they were constructing a temple.
“It is important that we immigrants assimilate in the society and be a part of the political process,” he added.
