Rahul Gandhi’s Meeting with Ilhan Omar Sparks Backlash from Modi’s BJP Due to Kashmir Critique
Minneapolis, MN (AX) — Indian Congress heavyweight Rahul Gandhi’s chat with U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) while he was in Washington has sparked a barrage of backlash from India, notably from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP harshly criticized Gandhi, accusing him of siding with folks deemed “anti-India,” pointing to Omar’s vocal stance against India’s Kashmir policies, religious intolerance, and human rights offenses.
Ilhan Omar, a Somali-American legislator representing Minnesota’s 5th District, is a well-known advocate for global human rights and minority struggles. Her disapproval of India’s Kashmir policies and her 2022 trip to Pakistan-administered Kashmir have turned her into a divisive figure in Indian politics. Omar has also tabled resolutions in the U.S. Congress slamming alleged human rights violations in India, ramping up tensions between the two nations.
The BJP’s objection was immediate. Spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi blasted Gandhi for what he termed “perilous” associations. “Rahul Gandhi’s choice to meet Ilhan Omar shows his disregard for national interests. He’s mingling with individuals known for anti-India rhetoric,” Trivedi stated at a press briefing. The encounter has ignited a key narrative for the BJP, framing Gandhi as an opposition leader allegedly compromising India’s sovereignty on an international scale.
BJP’s Shehzad Poonawalla echoed these accusations, questioning Gandhi’s motives. “Why is Rahul Gandhi engaging with figures who consistently criticize India? Is his opposition to the BJP overshadowing his responsibility to the nation?”
Omar’s visit to Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and meetings with Pakistani leaders, including a recently ousted Imran Khan, were slammed by the Indian government as an infringement on its territorial integrity. Her choice to boycott Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2023 address to the U.S. Congress also drew fire from Indian officials, who accused her of targeting the nation’s religious policy.
Omar has vocally opposed India’s revocation of Article 370, stripping Jammu and Kashmir of its special status, and has railed against what she sees as rising religious intolerance under Modi’s regime. Since taking charge in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP have been tightly associated with Hindutva, an ideology championing India as a Hindu nation. This notion, deeply rooted in the right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — the BJP’s ideological mentor — has faced criticism for allegedly instituting policies excluding religious minorities, chiefly Muslims. Under Modi, there’s been a surge in Hindu nationalism, with the government enacting laws and policies condemned by international human rights groups for sidelining non-Hindu communities. Omar has aligned with critics of the Modi administration, voicing concerns over the increasing religious intolerance in India.
Despite the BJP’s fierce opposition, the Congress party stood by Gandhi. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera played down the hullabaloo, highlighting that Omar was part of a broader U.S. delegation meeting Gandhi. “This is much ado about nothing. Ilhan Omar is a sitting Congresswoman, and Rahul Gandhi’s engagement with U.S. lawmakers is aimed at fostering international dialogue,” Khera asserted. Beyond Omar, Gandhi met with several notable U.S. legislators, including Indian-American lawmakers Ro Khanna and Raja Krishnamoorthi.
