US Congressman: The Indian diaspora needs to speak out and become involved in politics
US Congressman : Raja Krishnamoorthi said that the community might be left exposed if they remain silent in the face of growing racism and encouraged Indian Americans to speak up, form alliances, and increase their political involvement.
“Anti-Indian sentiment is kind of on the rise right now,” Krishnamoorthi said during the India Abroad® Dialogue in Chicago. “When combined with the increase in political violence, it will become dangerous.”
He mentioned recent instances of hate speech that were specifically aimed at him. “A Florida elected official demanded that I be deported. “I told him to just call me Raja—I’ll just call you racist,” he said, “because he called me a foreign occupier.”
For the Indian American community, Krishnamoorthi listed what he called “three essential responses.” He rejected previous suggestions that quiet may lessen criticism and said, “One, we have to speak up.”
He urged unity across groups, saying, “The second thing is you need to speak up even when there is bigotry, prejudice, and hatred directed at anyone else.” “We must ultimately stand shoulder to shoulder with others in order to multiply our numbers.”
He claimed that political engagement was the third. “You’re on the menu if you don’t have a seat at the table,” he said. “We can’t afford to be on the menu.”
Concerns about gun violence and public safety were also discussed by Krishnamoorthi, who referred to them as a “scourge” in the country. “On average, there is a mass shooting every day,” he said, promoting “common sense gun laws” and better mental health care.
He claimed that political rhetoric’s tone was important. “The rhetoric we use about each other needs to be lowered,” he said. “People pay attention to you, and if they do, they might take action.”
Longtime community leader Dr. Bharat Barai cautioned that certain political voices were questioning lawful immigration itself. “It is deeply troubling that while we all agree that illegal immigration should be stopped, legal immigration should also be stopped,” he stated.
Indian Americans, according to Barai, were “law-abiding citizens” who made disproportionate contributions to education and taxation. He said, “We should continue to lead in commerce, education, technology, and medicine.”
Participants warned about coordinated propaganda tactics throughout the session, which also focused on internet disinformation. According to Ankit Jain of the US India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF), “we see massive negativity online,” with a large portion of it being “not organic.”
One of the most prosperous and well-educated immigrant groups in the US is Indian Americans. According to community leaders, ongoing civic involvement has become more crucial due to growing political polarization.