Gandhi was one of the greatest ethical leaders, had ‘most influence’ on me: Ro Khanna

U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and attended PM Modi's Independence Day address at Red Fort. He is leading a bipartisan congressional delegation to India to strengthen U.S.-India relations and advance democratic values. The delegation is due to meet PM Modi, MEA Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on August 16.

Calling Mahatma Gandhi the person who has had the “most influence” in his life, U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna paid tributes at Rajghat on August 15 as part of a four-day visit by a bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation to India. The delegation, that has been hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs, also attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence day address at Red Fort, which Mr. Khanna called a “meaningful” occasion. 

The delegation is due to meet Mr. Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar before flying back to Washington on August 16.

“I believe Gandhi is one of the greatest ethical leaders that humanity has ever had, and the world must still look to him for inspiration…. My grandfather’s own role in the Independence movement made the visit all the more poignant,” Mr. Khanna said, referring to his grandfather, a freedom fighter and member of parliament from the Indian National Congress (INC). Mr. Khanna has not so far met anyone from the INC or opposition leaders during this visit. 

The U.S. congressional delegation, whose visit follows two months after Mr. Modi’s visit to Washington, and a month before U.S. President Joseph Biden’s visit to Delhi for the G20 summit, is also due to meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. On Monday, Mr. Khanna told news agency PTI that the congressional authorisation for transfer of U.S. technology required for the big ticket deal between GE and HAL to co-produce F414 engine is “going to be a high priority” for him and U.S. Congressman Michael Waltz, who co-chairs the congressional India caucus and are leading the delegation invited to Delhi. According to sources, the approval resolution, that was introduced in June, was brought to the U.S. congressional agenda for authorisation earlier this month.

“Our mission is to strengthen the U.S.-India relationship while advancing important democratic values in both nations,” Mr. Khanna said, in written remarks to The Hindu.

Ahead of his visit to Delhi, Mr. Khanna also met with a coalition of Indian-American human rights activists who spoke about concerns over minority protections, and a decline in democratic freedoms in India, promising to take up the concerns during his visit to India.