America More Polarised Than Ever, Says Raja Krishnamoorthi; Blames Government Rhetoric

US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has accused senior government leaders of deepening divisions in American society, saying their rhetoric towards minorities creates an environment that enables hate crimes.

Speaking to ANI, the Illinois lawmaker said Muslims, Indians and gay people were among the groups being singled out.

“Well, yes, I do think that the America of today is more polarised than ever before,” he said. “And again, part of the reason is because the leadership at the very top of the government is polarising people.”

DHS POST DRAWS CRITICISM

Krishnamoorthi cited a now-deleted Department of Homeland Security (DHS) post on X that used a Transformers-themed cartoon and addressed an Indian Sikh man as “Mr. Singh”.

The graphic showed the character Optimus Prime bearing the DHS seal, alongside the messages, “Get off our roads, you don’t know how to drive Mr. Singh” and “Self deport or find out.”

Krishnamoorthi linked his concerns about the post to a subsequent attack on a Sikh truck driver, who he said was stabbed 17 times and narrowly survived. The account provided does not establish a connection between the DHS post and the attack.

“And this is what has to stop. If we're going to stop this horrible rash of hate, it has to stop at the top,” he said, calling on officials at every level of government to stand together against discrimination.

AGENCY DEFENDED THE GRAPHIC

According to The New York Times, Indian American organisations and Democratic lawmakers condemned the cartoon as racially discriminatory towards Sikh Americans and harmful to people sharing the surname Singh.

DHS said the image referred specifically to Harjinder Singh, an Indian national facing vehicular homicide and manslaughter charges following a Florida turnpike crash that killed three people. He has pleaded not guilty.

The department defended the post and dismissed criticism, but offered no immediate explanation for removing it, the newspaper reported.

The controversy also revived concerns about hostility towards Sikh Americans, who were repeatedly targeted after the September 11, 2001, attacks because of mistaken identity, according to the report.

ALLEGED THREAT TO ILLINOIS TEMPLE

Krishnamoorthi’s comments also came amid concerns over an alleged shooting plot targeting the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple in Aurora, Illinois, where he and his family were worshipping.

A 19-year-old identified as Alexandros Paporakis was arrested on allegations of making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of a weapon. Authorities alleged that he had planned a mass shooting at the temple.

With inputs from ANI