Shillong: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi warned that rising anti-Indian sentiment in the United States is fueling violent attacks. He accused American political leaders of stoking hostility and demanded to know why federal authorities missed a two-year plot to strike a Chicago-area Hindu temple. The incident occurred on October 11 at the Balaji temple, where a shooter armed with an AR-15 style rifle and over 300 rounds of ammunition prepared for an attack. The gunman fired one shot before his weapon jammed. The malfunction stopped a mass murder.
Krishnamoorthi, who was inside the temple with his family during the Navaratri celebration, expressed his frustration. “Numerous families were celebrating Navaratri inside the Balaji temple, including my own,” he said. He confirmed that the FBI has ignored his requests for an investigation into the matter. He noted that FBI Director Kash Patel has remained silent. Krishnamoorthi said the suspect now faces weapons charges and an alleged terrorism-related offense, yet the lack of federal attention to domestic extremism remains a major concern.
The lawmaker slammed political figures for fanning the flames of hate. He pointed to Texas MAGA candidate Bo French for targeting Indian-American children at a football game. He also criticized the US Department of Education for a social media post that seemed to encourage similar sentiments. Krishnamoorthi believes silence from other officials acts as a green light for radicals. He is now pushing for a full hate crime investigation to determine what influenced the suspect. Federal authorities must shift more resources toward domestic violent extremism to stop future attacks.
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