Ro Khanna — new Democrat vice-chair of US Congress’ India caucus who often upsets own community

Ro Khanna is a progressive Congressman from California who has repeatedly been at odds with Hindu Indian-Americans, especially on the issue of pluralism.

Democratic US Congressman Ro Khanna | Facebook

New Delhi: Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna was appointed as the Democratic vice-chair of the Congressional India Caucus Thursday, a position created for the first time since the body’s formation in 1994.

While the 44-year-old legislator from California has always been a strong proponent of India-US ties, he shares a somewhat fraught relationship with conservative Hindu Indian-Americans.

In August last year, he found himself mired in controversy for his comments on an article on fellow Democrat Tulsi Gabbard’s alleged ties with the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS).

Calling the article “important”, Khanna had said, “It’s the duty of every American politician of Hindu faith to stand for pluralism, reject Hindutva, and speak for equal rights for Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhist & Christians. That is the vision of India my (maternal) grandfather Amarnath Vidyalankar fought for.”

Soon after, Khanna was harshly attacked by the members of Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP)-USA — the American affiliate of the BJP — with some even calling him a ‘political opportunist’.

There were allegations that Khanna, a practising Hindu, had betrayed his culture and identity. His detractors even flocked to a town hall in October 2019 to protest.

But these controversies have done little to affect Khanna’s popularity as a legislator. He has been elected to the House of Representatives — the lower house of the US Congress — three times in a row from the 17th congressional district in the Silicon Valley. His recent appointment to the Congressional India Caucus is also a testament to this popularity.

Professor, lawyer, Obama campaigner

Born in the US state of Pennsylvania to Indian-origin parents, Rohit ‘Ro’ Khanna is the youngest of only four Indian-American lawmakers in the US Congress. He has always been cognisant of his roots, referring to his Indian heritage multiple times in campaigns.

“My commitment to public service was inspired early on by my grandfather, who told me stories about participating in Gandhi’s independence movement in India and spending several years in jail for promoting human rights,” Khanna has written on his website.

He first encountered politics in 1996 during his time at the University of Chicago, where he worked on the state senate campaign of the little-known Barack Obama. Khanna then went on to specialise in intellectual property law at Yale University.

He worked on Obama’s presidential campaign in 2008, serving as the Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Department of Commerce in the Obama administration from August 2009 to August 2011.

Then, he dabbled in pro bono legal work with the Mississippi Center for Justice where he worked on contractor fraud cases on behalf of Hurricane Katrina victims.

Between 2012 and 2016, he taught economics at Stanford University, law at the Santa Clara University School of Law, and American jurisprudence at San Francisco State University. He has also authored a book, ‘Entrepreneurial Nation: Why Manufacturing is Still Key to America’s Future’.

In 2014, Khanna finally made his foray into electoral politics and fought congressional elections from California’s 17th district, but lost. He then won in 2016 by defeating incumbent Mike Honda. He was re-elected in 2018 and again this year.

Over the years, Khanna has campaigned on key issues such as foreign policy, national security, climate change, economy and jobs.

The Democrat has also been vocal about Indian politics. Most recently, he commented on the ongoing farmers’ agitation in Delhi against the Narendra Modi government’s contentious farm laws.

“India and the US share a rich tradition of democracy and peaceful protests. Farmworkers are the backbone of both our nations and must have their voices heard. I hope there’s a peaceful and fair solution so they can provide for their families. I am encouraged by the ongoing dialogue,” Khanna tweeted on 13 December.

Defiant brand of politics, away from Hindutva

Since 2016, Khanna’s political career has seen a steady rise. Experts believe that he is a strong contender for the Senate seat from California, which will be vacated after Kamala Harris takes oath as Vice-President in January.

However, this has not pleased several conservative Hindu Americans, who disagree with Khanna’s brand of progressive politics where he has explicitly decried Hindutva and called for more plurality in the religion.

“I certainly will never bow (to) my convictions because of a special interest lobby,” Khanna had said in a town hall in October last year.

His defiant politics has often seen him court controversy. In 2019, he was appointed to the Congressional Caucus on Pakistan and this led to over 200 Hindu and Indian-American organisations penning a letter asking him to withdraw. Khanna refused to do so despite widespread criticism, but added that his political career was testament to his efforts towards India-US relations.

“I think it all stems from a naivete that they don’t understand politics. But it is really irrelevant in my district and that’s where my first priority is,” he had said.

With a clear-cut aim to better India-US relations, Khanna remains unaffected by the attacks he faces and the pressures of living up to a ‘Hindu’ identity.

“It’s part of being an American politician of Indian descent,” he said in an interview with Politico earlier this year.