Indian diaspora must speak up, engage politically: US Congressman
Chicago, Dec 15 (IANS) Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi on Sunday urged Indian Americans to confront rising bigotry by speaking out, building coalitions, and deepening political engagement, warning that silence could leave the community vulnerable.
“We are kind of in this moment where anti-Indian sentiment is on the rise,” Krishnamoorthi said at the India Abroad® Dialogue in Chicago.
He cited recent incidents of hate speech directed at him personally. “An elected official from Florida called for me to be deported. He called me a foreign occupier,” he said, adding, “I said, just call me Raja — I’ll just call you racist.”
Krishnamoorthi outlined what he described as three essential responses for the Indian American community. “One, we have to speak up,” he said, rejecting earlier advice that silence might reduce backlash.
“The second thing is you need to speak up even when there’s bigotry, prejudice and hatred directed at anyone else,” he said, urging solidarity across communities. “At the end of the day, we have to multiply our numbers by standing shoulder to shoulder with others.”
The third, he said, was political participation. “If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re on the menu,” he said. “None of us can afford to be on the menu.”
Krishnamoorthi also addressed concerns over public safety and gun violence, pointing to what he called a national “scourge.” “There’s a mass shooting every day on average,” he said, arguing for “common sense gun regulations” and improved mental health support.
He said the tone of political rhetoric mattered. “We have to lower the temperature of the rhetoric that we use about each other,” he said. “People listen to you, and if they listen to you, they may act.”
Dr Bharat Barai, a longtime community leader, warned that legal immigration itself was being questioned by some political voices. “We all agree illegal immigration should be stopped, but legal immigration also should be stopped — that is deeply disturbing,” he said.
Barai said Indian Americans were “law-abiding citizens” who contributed disproportionately to taxes and education. “We should continue to lead in medicine, technology, education and commerce,” he said.
The discussion also touched on online misinformation, with participants warning of coordinated propaganda campaigns. “We see massive negativity online,” Ankit Jain from US India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF), arguing that much of it was “not organic.”
Indian Americans are among the most educated and economically successful immigrant groups in the United States. Community leaders say rising political polarisation has made sustained civic engagement increasingly critical.
--IANS
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