‘You can call me Raja, we can call you racist’: Indian-origin Congressman chides Florida leader
Chandler Langevin and Raja Krishnamoorthi Photograph: (X)
After Langevin’s remarks stirred a controversy, the city council voted for his elimination from the council. Langevin then said he did not mean to attack the Indian-American community, who are contributing to the community, but was targeting migrants, illegal aliens.
Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi chided Florida politician Chandler Langevin, who had targeted and mocked him, saying his name was unpronounceable. Taking the mocking in his stride, Raja Krishnamoorthi said he can be called by his first name Raja, if ‘Krishnamoorthi’ is the harder part, but Chandler Langevin can only be called a ‘racist’ for his unrelenting hatred towards Indians.
Earlier, Langevin, a Palm Bay City Council member, had made headlines because of his hateful statements against Indians. In one post on X, he wrote, “Deport every Indian immediately.” In another post, Langevin said, “Today is my birthday, and all I want is for @realDonaldTrump to revoke every Indian visa and deport them immediately. America for Americans.”
Krishnamoorthi had then slammed his remarks, saying, “It’s unacceptable—and dangerous—that in 2025 we’re hearing elected officials call for the mass removal of Indian Americans. This rhetoric echoes the cruelty of Donald Trump’s mass ICE raids and fuels a climate of fear that harms families across our nation.”
After Langevin’s remarks stirred a controversy, the city council voted for his elimination from the council. Langevin then said he did not mean to attack the Indian-American community, who are contributing to the community, but was targeting migrants, illegal aliens.
But when Indian-American Democrat leader Raja Krishnamoorthi issued a statement condemning him, Langevin did not take it as constructive criticism and reported Krishnamoorthi to the DHS as a foreign occupier.
He also mocked Krishnamoorthi and said his name is unpronounceable and his country of origin is Tatooine. Tatooine is a hot desert planet in Star Wars. Krishnamoorthi then responded to Langevin and told him, “You can just call me Raja. I guess we can just call you… racist.”
Langevin went a step ahead and referred to Krishnamoorthi as ‘Rajesh Koothrapalli’, a fictional character of The Big Bang Theory.
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Florida Republicans distanced themselves from Langevin’s racist comments. Republican Representative Mike Haridopolos and Senator Rick Scott, as well as several Democratic politicians, have also spoken out against Langevin’s comments.
“The Brevard Republican Party does not condone or share Mr Chandler Langevin’s position with regard to the Indian community and culture here in our County,” Brevard county’s Republican party chair, Rick Lacey, said in a statement. “Even though Mr Langevin is a registered Republican, his views are his, and his alone.”
