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Pramila Jayapal, an Indian-origin Congresswoman leads the Left-liberals in US polity which turned out to be a challenge for Delhi. She represents a faction of the Democratic Party along with lawmakers Rashida Tlaib and Somalian-origin Ilhan Omar which could be emerging as a sticking point in the bilateral ties.

Jayapal has moved a resolution in the House of Representatives on Kashmir which led her to headlines as she started her vocal criticism of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir in September. Another statement was issued by Jayapal along with 10 other Congresspersons in order to seek the lifting of communication blockade.

Jayapal has been a two-time lawmaker from Seattle and her associates are being keen in making a mark by championing “human rights issues,” a source familiar with the politics of US has said to Economic Times. She had written an article in the Washington Post which was titled as ‘India’s Foreign Minister Refused To Meet Me’ in which she mentioned that she had raised issues pertaining to religious freedom when she met PM Modi, two years ago.

The then foreign secretary, Jaishankar had also attended the meeting in 2017 she said, adding to it that Jaishankar had refused to attend a meeting which Jayapal was a part of.

Jayapal was the founder of an organization which was originally called Hate Free Zone which was started after the September 11 attacks in 2001. The Bush Administration’s Immigration and Naturalization Services had been successfully sued in order to prevent more than 4,000 Somalis from the US in getting deported. She serves as a vice chair of the Immigration Subcommittee and on the House Education & Labour and budget Committees as being a member of the House Judiciary Committee.

By Shrithika Kushangi