GOP Indian American Politicians React To Trump Questioning Kamala’s Identity
India-West News Desk
WASHINGTON, DC – Vivek Ramaswamy has claimed that many Indian Americans in the US have been offended as Vice President Kamala Harris has “cast aside” her Indian identity.
Predictably, Ramaswamy, who is known to have wanted to be on Republican ticket as Vice President to nominee Donald Trump and has faithfully toed the Trump line, made his comments came after Trump went to a Black journalists’ event and launched a strong personal attack on his rival who is surging in the polls. He claimed that Harris had “all of a sudden, made a turn” in her identity and wanted to be known as black.
Speaking to Fox News, Ramaswamy said, “On a very personal level, my parents were immigrants to this country, legal immigrants from southern India, the very same part of India that her mother also immigrated from. I think it’s a hard fact, it’s just a fact whether you like it or not, that many Indian Americans in the United States are indeed somewhat offended by the way Kamala has suddenly cast aside the Indian American side of her identity.”
“She leaned into it when she ran for office in California, big Asian American and Indian American population. So, she wore that when it was convenient. She’s wearing a different identity now when it’s politically convenient on a national stage,” he added.
Niraj Antani who is a state senator representing the 6th district in the Ohio State Senate, also supported Trump’s claim:
Only last week, during an interview with Jake Tapper on CNN, Nikki Haley, also a presidential hopeful like Ramaswamy had admonished Republican attacks against Kamala Harris over her race, age, and gender. It is “not helpful,” she said.
“There are so many issues we can talk about when it comes to Kamala Harris, that it doesn’t matter what she looks like. It matters what she said, what she’s fought for, and the lack of results that she’s had because of it.” She has made no public comment on the latest broadside by Trump.
Meanwhile, Newsweek reported that while speaking to reporters Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, suggested that in his remarks, the former president was pointing out the “fundamental chameleon-like nature” of Harris. “What I question is why she presents a different posture depending on what audience she’s in front of. She’ll say one thing to one audience, another thing to another audience. She’ll say something totally different to another audience,” Vance said.
The vice presidential candidate who is married to Usha Vance, also of south Indian heritage, explained further, “All the president said is this is a person who switches identity like a normal person changes their clothes. And I think it’s totally proper to call that out.”
Ven Parameswaran
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Just look at Kamala Harris. Does she look like a South Indian or Black? Look at her hair. Kamala is an Indian name given by her mother approved by her father, a Jamaican. Kamala and her sister were brought up by their mother before and after divorce. Till Kamala was elected to the U.S Senate, she has always identified as an Asian and South Indian. It has been reported that she also speaks broken Tamil language, mother tung of her mother. When she was married to a Jewish American she insisted on getting married in South Indian style also Culturally, Kamala Harris has been more identified with South Indian brahmin culture. Kamala Harris has visited South India several times and has kept contacts with all her mother’s relatives including grandparents. Sociologically and culturally, Kamala is a South Indian.. Therefore, Trump is right in branding her not Black.
August 1, 2024TULSI
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Well said!
August 1, 2024Sharda
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Indians r brown – not white . Black or brown – she just a good intelligent person. This is all unimportant.
August 2, 2024Daljit (Dean)Singh
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Indians are very proud of their heritage and cultural values to accept the fact that any person having a drop of Indian blood to claim otherwise is tantamount to living a life of a liar. However, one must understand the psychology of a person, the individual feelings of belonging to a different group or community than the tone of their skin or the features of their face.
While growing up in Oakland, California, and Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Kamala Harris’ peer groups and mentors were Black and African Americans.
August 2, 2024Even today, most of her campaign advisors and consultants are Black Americans. Should I resent or deny that? Not at all.