WASHINGTON: Republican lawmakers have launched a Congressional Hindu Caucus that will be the second but largest yet for championing causes and issues related to Hindu Americans.
“Today I am so excited to announce the official launch of the Congressional Hindu Caucus in the US Congress,” Elise Stefanik, who is the fourth ranking member of the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives, said at an event organized by Shalabh “Shalli” Kumar.
Kumar shot to fame in the India-US world when he launched a campaign in 2013 to lobby US authorities to grant a visa to Narendra Modi, then chief minister of Gujarat, reversing their decision to rescind it over the riots in the state.
Although Kumar fell out of favor with Modi very soon, he had moved on to find a new person and cause to support: Donald Trump. “This caucus will support legislation and issues important to Hindu Americans,” Kumar said at the launch of the Congressional Hindu Caucus.
This is the second congressional caucus launched to represent Hindu Americans, who are largely India -descent Americans who are increasingly choosing to identify themselves by their religion rather than then their country of origin. But it also touts itself as a representative of Sikh, Jain and Buddhist communities.