Highlights:
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Suhag Shukla pushes back at Shashi Tharoor, saying Indian Americans are US citizens, not India’s agents.
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Efforts include supporting the US-India Civil Nuclear deal and blocking biased resolutions in Congress.
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Rising anti-Indian sentiment in the US is a concern, including California’s proposed SB509 bill.
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Tharoor’s remarks risk reducing Indian Americans to “pawns”, ignoring their agency and patriotism.
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Shukla emphasizes primary loyalty is to the US, while maintaining cultural and familial ties to India.
Suhag Shukla, co-founder and executive director of the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), has strongly rebutted Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s remarks suggesting that Indian Americans act as representatives of India in the United States. Shukla said it is incorrect to view the diaspora as agents of the Indian government and emphasized that Indian Americans advocate for US-India relations as proud citizens of the United States.
In an opinion piece, Shukla wrote that while India deserves a strong voice globally, it is unreasonable to expect Indian Americans—who already face growing hostility in the US—to bear the burden of advancing India’s international interests. She argued that Tharoor’s comments were based on limited perspectives and failed to recognize the decades-long work of Indian Americans to strengthen bilateral relations.
“There are 535 members in the U.S. Congress, but Mr Tharoor made sweeping claims based on just one,” Shukla wrote. She noted that many Indian Americans have spent decades promoting cooperation between the two nations through advocacy, academia, and diplomatic engagement.
Suhag Shukla: Indian Americans Advocate as US Citizens
Shukla emphasized that Indian Americans promote balanced narratives about India not as “mouthpieces” of the Indian government but as US citizens who understand both cultures. She cited examples of their efforts, including support for the US-India Civil Nuclear deal, blocking biased resolutions in Congress, and countering misinformation about India’s policies.
“These efforts happen at a distance and within US law,” Shukla explained, warning that it is dangerous to assume that Indian Americans act under the direction of the Indian government. She also criticized a small group of India-focused activists in the US, funded by organizations such as the Open Society and the Ford Foundation, for spreading misinformation and aligning with movements that portray India negatively.
Suhag Shukla Highlights Disparities in Lobbying Efforts
Comparing lobbying efforts, Shukla pointed out that Pakistan spends around $7 million annually on lobbying in Washington, while India spends only a fraction of that. She added that some Ivy League centers funded by Indian billionaires often host “so-called experts” who misrepresent India in US policy discussions.
Shukla also raised concerns about rising anti-Indian sentiment in America. She cited California’s proposed SB509 bill, warning that it could unfairly target Indian and Hindu Americans under vague definitions of “transnational repression.”
Suhag Shukla Warns Against Misrepresentation of the Diaspora
According to Shukla, Tharoor’s remarks not only misrepresent Indian Americans but also embolden those who question the loyalty of the diaspora. “It reduces Indian Americans to pawns devoid of agency or genuine patriotism for our adopted homeland,” she wrote.
Shukla concluded by stressing that while Indian Americans maintain cultural, spiritual, and familial ties to India, their primary responsibility is to the United States. “Indian Americans do not exist to serve as proxies for the Government of India. We exist as American citizens endowed with rights, responsibilities, and loyalties rooted in this soil,” she said.
Key Points from Suhag Shukla’s Response
- Indian Americans promote US-India relations as US citizens, not as agents of India.
- Shukla criticized Shashi Tharoor for making sweeping claims about the diaspora.
- The community has long worked to strengthen bilateral ties through advocacy, academia, and diplomacy.
- Rising anti-Indian sentiment and misinformation campaigns in the US pose risks to diaspora communities.
- Tharoor’s remarks risk reducing Indian Americans to “pawns” rather than recognizing their agency and patriotism.
Suhag Shukla’s response underscores the distinction between the Indian diaspora’s cultural ties to India and their legal, civic, and patriotic responsibilities as American citizens. Her statements call for a recognition of the community’s independent efforts to support US-India relations while remaining fully committed to their adopted homeland.
