WASHINGTON (TIP): Silicon Valley Indian American Elected Legislative Officials expressed their concern regarding increasing hate crimes against Indian Americans in the Bay Area.

In a joint statement Congressman Ro Khanna, Assembly member Ash Kalra, Mayor Pradeep Gupta (South San Francisco), Mayor Savita Vaidhyanathan (Cupertino), Councilmember Arun Goel (Dublin),
Councilmember Raj Salwan (Fremont), and Councilmember Rishi Kumar (Saratoga) urged to promote diversity and equality to create an America where people continue to treat each other with respect.

“In the past few months, we have seen a number of hate crimes against Indian Americans in our own backyard. In San Jose, an Indian man driving a foreign car was questioned about his loyalty to America and told to ‘go back to [his] own country,’ an incident he later described as his ‘first racial encounter in his 41 years as a resident of this country.’ In Fremont, an Indian woman was slapped in an incident that was categorized a hate crime. There are other minor incidences that have not yet been reported to law enforcement officials.

“All of us are deeply hurt and saddened by these recent happenings, more so with the recent shooting in Kansas and Seattle. It is very unsettling that these hate crimes have popped up in Silicon Valley as well, where diversity and culture are so dearly treasured. America after all, has always been a nation of immigrants and has always valued the work and ideas that immigrants bring to its shores. That people are being attacked simply because of their skin color or their nation of origin is unacceptable and shameful.

“We, the undersigned, pledge that we will make it a priority to protect all minorities and immigrants from such attacks. We are invested in rolling back the climate of hatred that is seemingly sweeping the country, collaborating towards a society in harmony, working together for simple American values, and building a prosperous Silicon Valley and America. Together, we can promote diversity and equality to create an America where we continue to treat each other with respect.

“We have great confidence in the fundamental decency and kindness of the American people. We know these attacks represent a fringe that is not representative of our values. We are confident that here, in the Bay Area, we will rise above these attacks and be a model for the country of tolerance and respect.”