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www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know US Affairs News India Times (March 8, 2025 - March 14, 2025) March 14, 2025 4 US Congressman Labels Patidar Volleyball Match As “Casteist,” Faces Backlash From Indian-Americans -DALLAS, TX U S Congressman Brandon Gill has sparked controversy by branding a community volley- ball tournament organized by the Indian-American Patidar community as “casteist.” His remarks on social media triggered strong reactions from Indian- Americans, who accused him of spread- ing anti-India and anti-Hindu sentiment. GILL’S CONTROVERSIAL REMARKS The controversy began when Dylan Pa- tel, a Gujarati-origin entrepreneur, posted on X (formerly Twitter) about the Leuva Patidar Samaj volleyball tournament in Dallas. Patel highlighted how the event had drawn nearly 8,000 attendees from a tight-knit community of around 40,000 Patidars in the U.S., many of whom are motel and gas station owners. “My caste (Leuva Patidar Samaj) volley- ball tournament in Dallas is unreal—8,000 people here out of ~40,000 people in the US. Everyone from a part of Gujarat and the same way of life in the US. Literally, everyone here owns a motel or gas station in rural America,” Patel wrote. Gill, a Republican representative fromTexas’ 26th District and a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, responded critically, arguing that the U.S. should not allow “foreign class allegiances.” “America is the ‘land of opportunity’ precisely because we DON’T have a caste system,” Gill posted. “We cannot sustain America’s prosperity and liberty by im- porting foreign class allegiances. Immigra- tion without assimilation is national and cultural suicide.” BACKLASH FROM INDIAN-AMERICANS Gill’s remarks were met with sharp criti- cism from Indian-Americans and schol- ars, who accused him of misrepresenting caste and fueling anti-Indian bias. “Respectfully, the misuse of the word ‘caste’ and now your tweet are fomenting the type of anti-Indian and anti-Hindu hate that days ago led to real violence,” said Suhag Shukla, Executive Director of the Hindu American Foundation. “This is over a volleyball tournament at a re- union of an Indian-American immigrant community (wrongly termed ‘caste’) of traditional farmers now contributing to America as small store and hotel owners creating jobs and paying taxes.” Shukla further challenged Gill’s stance, asking, “Would you have said the same thing if Scot-Irish farming families from West Virginia or Mennonite families from Pennsylvania were meeting up in Dallas? We need our elected leaders to do much better.” Lavanya Vemsani, a researcher on South Asian studies, also weighed in, pointing out that caste in India has evolved significantly from its colonial- era definition. “Surprised you said this. Someone used the term ‘caste’ to refer to a community event must not be inter- preted as imposing the ‘caste’ ideology as described in textbooks,” Vemsani wrote. “That colonial idea of caste was dead for a long time in India. I don’t think anyone is trying to import it here. It’s just a commu- nity event.” MIXED REACTIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA While many condemned Gill’s remarks, some users on X echoed his concerns. “This is why some population groups are not fit forWestern thinking and thought,” one person wrote. Another added, “A caste-based culture is not compatible with an egalitarian republican democracy.” Others supported Patel’s viewpoint, arguing that the event was about cultural bonding rather than enforcing social divisions. “It’s funny to see people talk about the caste system and divide it into just a handful, but it’s much deeper. Not that I really care that much, but having a broad community that is tight-knit with shared experiences is awesome,” Patel responded. GILL’S HISTORY OF CONTROVERSIAL STATE- MENTS Brandon Gill has been at the center of several controversies in recent weeks. He recently advocated for replacing Benjamin Franklin’s image on the $100 bill with Donald Trump’s and has been vocal against USAID policies related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and LGBTQ+ activism. Additionally, Gill circulated a petition calling for the deportation of Congress- woman Ilhan Omar, claiming, “And frank- ly, America would be a much better place if she were to be sent back to Somalia.” A Larger Debate on Caste and Identity in the U.S. The controversy highlights the ongoing debate about caste in the U.S., with some policymakers pushing for caste-related policies while others argue that caste dis- tinctions in India have significantly trans- formed. The Patel community, known for its strong business presence in America, particularly in the hospitality industry, owns nearly 90% of motels in small-town America, contributing significantly to the economy. While Congressman Gill framed the volleyball tournament as a symbol of “for- eign class allegiances,” Indian-Americans emphasized that it was simply a cultural event, reflecting shared heritage rather than caste hierarchy. As discussions on immigration, as- similation, and cultural identity continue, Gill’s remarks have intensified a broader conversation about how caste is perceived in the U.S. and the risk of misinterpreta- tions fueling division. By a StaffWriter PHOTO: ITV Gold File Photo: A section of the onlookers lining part of Madison Ave. for the FIA India Day Parade, August 18, 2024. US Pushes India To Lower Tariffs, Buy More Defense Products For Fair New Deal that India has, that protects some of its areas,” Lutnick said. For sensitive industries like agriculture, which India has long shielded to support its small farmers, Lutnick suggested a trade agreement with quotas and limits but emphasised that India must open up the sector. After a meeting between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month, the two countries agreed to resolve tariff rows and work on the first seg- ment of a deal by the fall of 2025, aiming for bilateral trade worth $500 billion by 2030. Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal has been on a nearly week-long trip to the United States and on Tuesday met Lutnick to pursue trade talks. “Maybe certain products have quotas. Maybe certain products have limits…And then we do the same thing on the other side and craft an agreement that makes sense for both of us,” Lutnick said. “The Indian agriculture market has to open up. It can’t just stay closed,” he added. Referring to India’s high tar- iffs, Lutnick called them among the steepest globally. Washington wants India to bring tariffs down to zero or negligible in most sectors, except agriculture, under the bilateral trade deal, Reuters has reported. The U.S. has a $45.6 billion trade deficit with India. Overall, the U.S. trade-weighted average tariff rate has been about 2.2%, according toWorld Trade Organization data, compared with India’s 12%. DEFENCE PURCHASES Lutnick also asked India to shift defence equipment purchases from Russia to sophisticated U.S. products. “India has historically bought significant amounts of its military equipment from Russia, and we think that is something that needs to end,” he said. The U.S. will increase military sales to India starting in 2025 and eventually provide F-35 fighter jets, Trump announced last month after meeting Modi inWashing- ton. India has agreed to buy more than $20 billion of U.S. defence products since 2008. On the impact of tariffs on inflation, Lutnick dismissed concerns, saying: “Inflation only comes from running deficits and printing money. Tariffs have not created inflation in India, so that argument is nonsense. “I want manufacturing to come back home. And if that means I need to put a 25% tariff on the outside world, I’ll do that.” -Reuters PHOTO: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo Howard Lutnick, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee to be commerce secretary, testifies before a Senate Commerce Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 29, 2025. - Continued From Page 3