Hindu American Foundation’s co-founder Suhag Shukla on Monday said that Indian Americans are not “mouthpieces for any Indian government or political party”.
In an Opinion piece for The Print, Shukla responded to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s call for greater opposition from the Indian American community regarding the US government’s policy towards India like new $100k H-1B visa application fee, tariffs, among other things.
Shukla argued that Indian Americans, as citizens of the United States, have a duty to prioritise American interests and not serve as extensions of India’s political agenda.
Tharoor argued that Indian Americans, with their access to power and platforms, should be more vocal in opposing policies that hurt their community.
Indian-Americans can give balanced perspective
According to Shukla, ndian Americans are uniquely positioned to provide a balanced perspective on India, countering the one-dimensional narratives often found in the media.
The community is not a ‘monolith’ and includes individuals with varying political views, ideologies, and personal experiences.
Rather than being instruments of Indian government policy, Indian Americans can play a crucial role in educating the American public and policymakers about the complexities of Indian society, without being used to propagate any government’s agenda.
Shukla also added that the influence of certain diasporic groups that actively misinform American policymakers about India.
They are supported by funding from international foundations like Tides, Open Society, and Ford, which advocate for political narratives that do not represent the broader Indian-American community.
This minority group, Shukla pointed out, often aligns with movements that are inherently anti-India. These organisations take advantage of an ideological space dominated by left-leaning activists and legacy media outlets to spread their narrative.
According to Shukla, this dynamic further complicates the perception of Indian Americans as merely supporters of Indian government policies.
The anti-Indian sentiment
Another critical issue raised by Shukla is the rising anti-Indian sentiment in the US, particularly among groups like Khalistan supporters.
These groups have leveraged political issues, including allegations of transnational repression, to introduce laws in states like California that could violate the civil rights of Indian and Hindu Americans.
For example, California’s SB509 bill, if signed into law, could allow law enforcement to unfairly target and profile immigrant communities based on their ethnic or religious background.
Shukla’s message is clear, Indian Americans should not be reduced to pawns in a geopolitical game. They are citizens of the US, with rights and responsibilities that come with their American identity.
Indian Americans must be allowed the freedom to shape their own narrative, one that reflects their dual identity, but also their commitment to the values of their adopted homeland.