Gabbard’s Hindutva Ties
Gabbard’s Hindutva Ties
Tulsi Gabbard, the former U.S. Representative from Hawaii and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, is a controversial and nebulous figure in American politics. From endorsing U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders as the progressive choice in 2016 to endorsing Donald Trump in 2020, Gabbard has proven a political chameleon whose principles and allegiances are malleable.
This can be explained. by the greatest influence on Gabbard’s political career: her connections to the family of Hindu nationalist organizations known as the “Sangh Parivar” and her support for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This dossier examines those ties and how they have shaped — and even made — her political career. These ties have NOTHING to do with religion but are explicitly and specifically about a particular ideology (Hindu nationalism) and interconnected organizations in both India and the U.S. which promote it.
The length and depth of Tulsi Gabbard’s relationship with the Hindu nationalist movement suggests that she is politically compromised. As detailed in this dossier, Gabbard’s oldest, largest, and most faithful campaign donors and allies 1) belong to American affiliates of the Sangh Parivar; 2) maintain intimate ties with Sangh Parivar parent groups in India; and 3) worked to get Modi elected in India as well as to promote him in America.
This also has nothing to do with U.S. political parties. As one of Gabbard’s most faithful Hindu nationalist supporters, Bharat Barai, put it when questioned about backing her: “It doesn’t matter to me whether it is a Republican or Democrat.” As one of the U.S.’s chief champions of Modi, Barai’s implicit message seems to be he doesn’t care about partisanship but only about who will side with Modi’s global agenda. Tulsi Gabbard has been that person.
Will Gabbard put American interests before those of Hindu nationalists, particularly as the Modi regime is recently accused of attempting to assassinate its critics in North America? Due to her Hindutva ties, which explicitly mean having ties to a foreign government, confirming Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence is a threat to U.S. national security.
Compromised by Foreign Influence
Critical National Security Role:
The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) must prioritize U.S. national security above all else. Tulsi Gabbard’s deep ties to foreign nationalist movements compromise her ability to do so.
Proven Risk of Foreign Influence:
Gabbard’s associations with India’s Hindu nationalist (Hindutva) movement, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) paramilitary, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), raise concerns about her allegiance to America’s interests.
Background on the RSS and Modi
RSS Overview:
The RSS is a Hindu nationalist paramilitary organization in India that promotes the establishment of a Hindu nation through the oppression and extermination of Christians and Muslims.
Modi’s Record:
Modi, a lifelong member of the RSS and India’s Prime Minister since 2014, has been implicated in grave human rights violations, including the 2002 Gujarat massacre of 2,000 Muslims. This earned him a U.S. travel ban from 2005-2014.
Gabbard’s Hindutva Ties
Financial Backing:
Gabbard has accepted substantial campaign donations from RSS and BJP-affiliated donors, including the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) and the Overseas Friends of BJP, a registered Foreign Agent in the U.S. Many of these donors worked to get Modi elected, even traveling from America to India to campaign for him. In exchange, Gabbard has opposed U.S. efforts to hold Hindutva accountable for human rights abuses.
Advocacy and Influence:
She has spoken at numerous RSS-linked events (including in India), hosted RSS-BJP representatives at her wedding, and even worn the BJP logo at OFBJP events.
Defender of Hindutva Ideology:
Gabbard has publicly defended Hindu nationalism as "pride in one’s religion," despite its documented role in violence and oppression.
Threat to America First Policies
India’s Authoritarian Shift:
Under Modi, India has become increasingly autocratic, with rampant violence against religious minorities, bans on religious conversion, and systemic oppression of dissidents.
Transnational Repression:
India has exported its oppressive practices, including the assassination of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil and an attempted assassination of a U.S. citizen. Such actions blatantly violate North American sovereignty.
Gabbard’s Complicit Silence:
Her refusal to condemn these acts raises concerns that, as DNI, she would shield Modi’s regime and block investigations into foreign interference.
National Security Implications
Compromised Leadership:
Gabbard’s close ties to a foreign nationalist movement make her unfit to lead the intelligence community, which must remain independent of foreign influence.
Risk to Sovereignty:
Allowing someone with such connections to serve as DNI could jeopardize U.S. sovereignty and endanger American citizens.
Call to Action
Protect U.S. Interests:
Congress must prioritize national security by opposing Gabbard’s appointment.
Safeguard American Sovereignty:
Rejecting this nomination sends a clear message that foreign influence in U.S. leadership will not be tolerated.
Overview: Gabbard’s Hindutva Ties
Three major pillars prove Tulsi Gabbard’s extensive ties to Hindu nationalism:
Campaign Donations:
According to analysis of Federal Election Commission records, at least 105 current and former officers and members of American Sangh affiliates (including the HSS, VHPA, and OFBJP), and their families, have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Gabbard’s campaigns since 2011.
Event Attendance and Personal Relationships:
Gabbard attended and keynoted a minimum of 12 Sangh Parivar events from 2012 to 2015, including in India. These include events for the HSS, the VHPA, and the OFBJP (the OFBJP is now registered as a Foreign Agent in America as it is directly controlled by India’s BJP). She has additionally cultivated personal relationships with key Hindutva leaders.
Rhetoric/Policy:
Gabbard repeatedly used her official position to 1) roadblock attempts to criticize Hindu nationalist violence and 2) offer apologetics for Modi and Hindu nationalism in general. This includes her 2013 opposition to H. Res. 417, condemnation of a 2014 Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing on the conditions in India, and 2019 apologetics for the 2022 Gujarat massacre (which left 2,000 Muslims dead at the hands of Hindutva actors) and justification of Hindu nationalism.
Unfit for the Role
Tulsi Gabbard’s record of prioritizing foreign interests, participating in events promoting a Hindu supremacist political movement, and defending oppressive ideologies disqualifies her for the position of DNI. Congress must act to ensure that U.S. intelligence leadership serves the American people — not foreign agendas.
Gabbard’s Hindutva Financing
Gabbard’s connections to Hindu nationalist groups and figures have translated into crucial financial and political support:
Out-of-State Donations:
While serving as a U.S. representative from Hawaii, a large portion of Gabbard’s campaign contributions come from out-of-state Hindutva donors, often after keynoting Sangh Parivar events.
Fundraising Events:
Gabbard has been hosted at numerous fundraising events organized by Hindutva leaders which often generated tens of thousands of donations. These include events featuring major American Hindutva leaders like Bharat Barai, Ramesh Bhutada, and Mihir Meghani.
Campaign Donations:
According to analysis of Federal Election Commission records, at least 105 current and former officers and members of American Sangh affiliates (including the HSS, VHPA, and OFBJP), and their families, have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Gabbard’s campaigns since 2011.
Performing single-property analyses
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