Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal shares recording of abusive, racist phone calls

Pramila Jayapal, 55, is the first-ever Indian-American to serve in the US House of Representatives

Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal has shared recordings of the abusive phone calls she received from an unidentified male.

The man asked Chennai-born Jayapal to go back to her country of origin, India. Portions of the recordings were redacted, filled as they were with abusive and racist threats. Jayapal posted a collection of five such audio messages.

“Typically, political figures don't show their vulnerability. I chose to do so here because we cannot accept violence as our new norm,” she wrote on Twitter. “We also cannot accept the racism and sexism that underlies and propels so much of this violence.”

Typically, political figures don't show their vulnerability. I chose to do so here because we cannot accept violence as our new norm.

We also cannot accept the racism and sexism that underlies and propels so much of this violence. pic.twitter.com/DAuwwtWt7B

— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) September 8, 2022

Among the many abusive and threatening remarks made to her over the phone calls, one asked the congresswoman to “go back to where you ****** came from.”

Earlier this year in July, a man with a pistol had shown up outside the Congresswoman's house in Seattle. The man, identified by police as Brett Forsell, 49, was arrested later. Jayapal said instances of violence are increasing as she spoke out against the hate.

“Insurrection on Jan 6. A man with a gun at my door. These violent incidents aren't isolated. They're increasing. It's time to speak out about the impact on us & our society,” she wrote.

This is the latest such report of hate crime against the Indian-American community in the US.

Before this, a Texas woman was caught on camera hurling racist abuses at a group of Indian-Americans. A video of the incident, recorded by the victims, showed the woman yelling at them to "go back to India."

(With inputs from PTI)