Congress MP Shashi Tharoor recently questioned the Indian-American community’s silence on US policies that harm India. He said that despite their wealth and political influence, Indian-Americans have not raised their voice against issues like tariff hikes, visa restrictions, or sanctions that impact India.
Suhag Shukla, co-founder and executive director of the Hindu American Foundation, has now responded firmly. Writing for The Print, she stated that Indian-Americans are “not proxies for India” and are not obligated to act as lobbyists for Indian interests.
She wrote, “Just as India and Indian citizens have a duty to pursue their national interest, the United States and its citizens, including Indian Americans, have a duty to pursue ours.” Shukla emphasized that loyalty to one’s country of residence does not erase pride in one’s heritage. “This recognition is not a betrayal of our heritage, but a simple fact of citizenship,” she said.
While Tharoor urged Indian-Americans to be more vocal in defending India’s interests, Shukla’s response highlights the community’s right to independent political engagement within the US system.
Suhag Shukla, born in India and settled in the US, has led HAF since 2004, working to protect the civil and religious rights of Hindu Americans.
