Washington:
In the wake of the killing of an Indian techie in Kansas, Indian-American Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi has urged US Attorney General to “use the full powers” of the Justice Department to “combat the rising tide” of hate and violence in the US.
“From grave desecration at a Jewish cemetery in St Louis to a shooting at a bar in Kansas, Americans have been shaken to the core by the recent rise in hate crimes,” Krishnamoorthi said in a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed and Alok Madasani, another Indian of the same age, injured in the shooting by navy veteran Adam Purinton, who yelled “terrorist” and “get out of my country” before opening fire on them.
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Jewish Community Centres nationwide have received bomb threats, and countless Muslims have been harassed and threatened, the democrat said.
“All Americans must be able to count on the federal government to defend their fundamental rights as citizens of this great republic. If any American is harassed or threatened because of who they are, it harms everyone,” he said.
“I respectfully urge you to use the full powers of the Justice Department to investigate and combat this disturbing rise in hate crimes,” Krishnamoorthi said.
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“These attacks seek to undermine not just public safety, but the very nature of American exceptionalism,” he said.
“For more than two hundred years, the US has stood as a beacon of freedom from tyranny, oppression, and persecution,” he added.
A fundamental promise of our nation is that any American regardless of where you come from, the colour of your skin, or how you pray - can trust the federal government to preserve, protect, and defend their rights,” Krishnamoorthi said.
