PM Modi lauds VP Kamala Harris, talks about 'Samosa Caucus' flavour of US Congress
Modi, Harris
In his speech to a combined session of the US Congress, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged the considerable number of people residing in the United States with ancestral connections to India. The room burst into an applausewhen PM Modi specifically highlighted the momentous accomplishment of Kamala Harris, who was elected as the Vice President of the United States.
“There are millions in the US who have roots in India and some of them sit in this chamber. One of them is siiting behind, who has made history (pointing to Kamala Harris). I am told that Samosa Caucus is now the flavour of the House. I hope it grows and brings full diversity of Indian cuisine here,” PM Modi said.
Samosa Caucus, named after the popular snack, refers to a group of elected members of the US Congress havingIndian ancestry.
What's the 'Samosa Caucus'?
Subramanian Raja Krishnamoorthi, the representative for Illinois's 8th Congressional district in the United States, had popularised the term 'Samosa Caucus' to describe the growing community of Indian-American lawmakers, commonly referred to as "desi."
This caucus includes notable individuals such as Ro Khanna, Pramila Jaipal, Shri Thanedar, and Ami Bera, all of whom belong to the Democratic Party. While the 'Samosa Caucus' is not an official caucus, the shared cultural identity fosters closer ties and facilitates engagement with the US Congress.
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Ro Khanna emphasised the importance of representation in serving Indian-American communities and working to strengthen the defence and strategic partnership between the United States and India. Similarly, Krishnamoorthi pledged to address crucial issues affecting the community, such as high-skilled immigration reform and reinforcing the US-India partnership.
Currently composed entirely of Democrats, the 'Samosa Caucus' aligns with the presidency of Joe Biden.
The 'Samosa Caucus' is just beginning its journey within the Indian-American community's political landscape.
Modi on democracy and free speech
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi faced inquiries during a press conference regarding the topics of free speech and religious freedom in India. A reporter from the United States specifically questioned the prime minister about instances of discrimination against minority communities and inquired about the government's efforts to enhance the rights of these marginalized groups within the country.
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PM Modi in his reply said that both India and America have "democracy in their DNA".
"We are a democracy...India and America both have democracy in our DNA. Democracy is in our spirit and we live it and it's written in our Constitution," he said.
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