Khanna, who represents Silicon Valley, is the first Indian American lawmaker to join the Congressional Pakistan Caucus.
In a first for an Indian American lawmaker, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., has joined the Congressional Pakistan Caucus. At a time when the relations between the South Asian neighbors India and Pakistan may be at an all-time low, the decision of the popular Indian American congressman may have come as a surprise for many.
However, the congressman who represents the Silicon Valley, has staunch anti-war credentials and has regularly spoken up against global wars and US interventions abroad. In 2017, he was featured on the Nation magazine’s Progressive Honor Roll. He is a vocal opponent of the Saudi-led war on Yemen.
For those who are unaware of what the Congressional Pakistan Caucus is and what role Khanna would play, here are some facts: The Congressional Pakistan Caucus for the 116th Congress was launched as a means to strengthen the US-Pakistan bilateral relationships. It was announced in Houston in May this year and is co-chaired by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, and Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind.
For many years, Lee has been the founding co-chair of the caucus, which was revived for the 116th Congress after being defunct for a while.
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Khanna is also a member of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans. Lee is also a member of the India Caucus.
Pakistani Ambassador to the United States Asad M Khan took to Twitter to thank Khanna for his new role. He wrote: “Had a wonderful meeting with Congressman Ro Khanna. We discussed the Prime Minister’s (Imran Khan) recent visit to the US and ways to promote Pakistan-US relations. Congressman Khanna took keen interest in promoting peace in South Asia. Thanked him for joining the Pakistan Caucus.”
About joining the Pakistan Caucus, Khanna told the Indian news agency PTI: “I am a proud member of the US-India Caucus and have supported legislation condemning the terrorist bombing in Kashmir and promoting stronger defense ties between the US and India. At the same time, I believe it’s critical to engage all regional players, including India and Pakistan, to stabilize Afghanistan so that the US can withdraw troops. I will continue to pursue the American objectives of a strong US-India relationship and peace and stability in the region.”
8 Comments
Just read what the Pakistan Caucus is.
Are you working for the U.S. ? If so why are you affiliated in ANY way with Pakistan?
This is wrong.
Calif. seems to have a different idea as to what America is.
Curious
Candace
Thank you Robin and Khalid for supporting us Kashmiris. I and my family have lived in Kashmir for hundreds of years – as far as we can trace back our roots.
Until 1989. That is when terrorists selectively began killing innocent residents of this peaceful region. We are in exile since then. But not given up our dream and right to return to my home. Let’s join hands and end Terrorism in Kashmir.
Before 1989 there was not presence of military. We can restore peace in Kashmir and treat all religions equally – just like the great country of USA.
Let’s unite instead of fault-find. It is really up to us Kashmiris to restore peace. I would like everyone to take a deep breath – deep deep breath – and think about this for a bit. I have taken a deep breath – for 39 years.
It is difficult for fanatics to understand any good turn that any gentleman like Mr. Khanna can make. India is wrong in Kashmir issue, she has enslaved the Kashmiri people by force occupying their territory, Indian atrocity in Kashmir barbaric and Mr. Khanna understands that.
Can you explain, Mr. Kumaran, why India should be in Kashmir against the will of the Kashmiri people? Is it because, Kashmir is an integral part of India as many fanatic Indians say? Why Nepal, Bhutan and even Bangladesh are not parts of India?
Please have guts to say “wrong” that is “wrong”. Kashmiri people must have rights for self-determination.
What makes you think that Illhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib can’t extend an olive branch to Israeli ambassadors if and when they do something nice? If you support Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, as it seems, may your god help you.
Will US let go of Louisiana purchase, let Texas go Independent ? Rooin you are ill informed and even be stooge of pakistan
Yes “Robin”, it is hard to see as wrong a desire to not have an ISIS caliphate set up next to your borders. All of those who follow the situation in J&K, an Indian state, know intuitively that the so-called Kashmiri demand for “self-determination” is little more than short for freedom to wage an all-out jihad on “Hindu” India. If “Hindu” India really did have a thing for killing Muslims, why aren’t they already going to town on the 200 or so million Muslims living in the rest of India? Why restrict the “atrocities” you so allege to only Kashmir? Plus, what conceivable reason could be there to be especially cruel to ethnic Kashmiris based on language or ethnicity, in a country which has 23 official languages? And, as for your inherent assumption of Kashmir being 100% Muslim, that is wrong; you are forgetting the nearly 1m Kashmiris of a population of 8 million who are Hindu; not finding the self-determination drive among those guys for some reason. As for Ro Khanna, suffice to say, India has a mole in the Pak-American Caucus!
Senator Khanna, I would like you to working on stopping terrorism by Pak and letting their soil be used to train and deploy terrorists across all nations. Make it a peaceful country with fully democratic vs. being a puppet for a military rule.
Would a Pakistani American Congressman do the same with an Indian ambassador? Would Illhan Omar & Rashida Tlaib do any such thing to extend an olive branch to Israeli ambassadors? I don’t think so!! Ro Khanna just made a grave mistake by meeting with Pakistani Ambassador. His mentor Bernie Sanders just delivered a speech at International Islamic meeting in Houston against India on Kashmir. Such a shame that Ro Khanna was just sitting there without defending India. Although he doesn’t have any obligation to defend India, unfortunately he’s the grandson of India’s freedom fighter. And a former member of Parliament. What’s gotten into the Democrats? All of a sudden they have turned anti Semitic and anti Hindus, talking like Iranian mullahs. There are like 5 million Indian Americans. No matter how much they like or dislike Modi, they’re not going to sit quiet if the Democrats continue to assault India’s sovereignty on Kashmir that too with lobby from Pakistan. Imagine how much impact do those hundreds of thousands of votes show in Swing states like Michigan, Florida and Pennsylvania.
My opinion: Indian Americans and Pakistani Americans should join hands here in the US. Together, we should try to cultivate friendship between these two nuclear powers.
If Ro Khanna also believes in this, it is the right step! We must support it.
It will be interesting to know the views of American Bazaar’s readers on this subject.