U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna has come out in help of his late maternal grandfather Amarnath Vidyalankar, who drew flak on social media not too long ago for supporting former prime minister Indira Gandhi throughout the Emergency, asserting, “Attack me. Don’t assault India’s freedom fighters.”
Last week, Mr. Khanna, a Democrat, termed Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha as a “deep betrayal” of Gandhian philosophy.
Mr. Gandhi, the previous Congress president, was disqualified from the Lok Sabha final week, after a court docket in Surat within the state of Gujarat convicted him in a defamation case.
“The expulsion of Rahul Gandhi from parliament is a deep betrayal of Gandhian philosophy and India’s deepest values,” Mr. Khanna mentioned in a current tweet.
“This is not what my grandfather sacrificed years in jail for,” the 46-year-old Indian-American politician added.
After his put up in help of Mr. Gandhi, Mr. Khanna was reminded on social media that his late grandfather Vidyalankar, a Gandhian, was a supporter of former prime minister Indira Gandhi throughout the time of Emergency.
“Though it appears as if Ro has forgotten that Amarnath Vidyalankar [his grandfather], an INC loyalist, was a part of Indira Gandhi’s govt throughout the harsh interval of emergency in India. He did not oppose the brutal atrocities on Indian lots throughout the Emergency,” in keeping with a put up by The Pamphlet on Twitter.
In response, Mr. Khanna tweeted: “It’s unhappy to see folks maligning my grandfather who labored for Lala Lajpat Rai, was jailed in 31-32 and 41-45, and wrote two letters to Indira Gandhi opposing the Emergency, leaving parliament proper after. Attack me. Don’t assault India’s freedom fighters. And details matter.”
Describing Vidyalankar as “nice son of the soil,” the All India Radio in its documentary celebrating “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsava” hailed him as a “social employee and freedom fighter” born in pre-partition Punjab.
Educated at an Arya Samaj academic establishment, Vidyalankar devoted his life to the non-cooperation motion after he accomplished his training.
Mr. Khanna represents Silicon Valley within the U.S. House of Representatives.
On Sunday, Mr. Khanna dominated out operating for the vacant U.S. Senate seat from California and prolonged his help to his fellow Democratic lawmaker Barbara Lee.
“I’ve concluded that, regardless of numerous enthusiasm from Bernie of us, the perfect place, essentially the most thrilling place, motion place for me to serve as a progressive within the House of Representatives, and I’m honoured to be co-chairing Barbara Lee’s marketing campaign for the Senate and endorsing her right now,” Mr. Khanna instructed CNN in an interview.
He is co-chairing the election marketing campaign of Congresswoman Lee operating for the Senate seat in California.