First Trump, Now Vivek Ramaswamy Criticises Kamala Harris's Selective Heritage Use

US Vice President Kamala Harris's ethnic identity has been made a focal point in the US presidential election campaign, with racial remarks being made by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and criticism being directed at her by Indian-origin Republican Vivek Ramaswamy for selectively using her Indian roots.

In an interview with Fox News, Ramaswamy stated, "Many Indian-Americans in the US are indeed somewhat offended by the way Kamala has suddenly cast aside the Indian-American side of her identity."

Kamala Harris's Ethnic Identity Under Scrutiny: Here's What Ramaswamy Said

Harris, a Democrat, who launched her presidential campaign last month after US President Joe Biden bowed out from the White House bid, has been long identified as both Black and Asian. The distinction of being the first Black and Asian-American Vice President has been achieved by her, as reported by India Today.

Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has been recognized as an Indian-American politician with a mother of Indian descent and a father from Jamaica. A small village in Thulasenthirapuram in Tamil Nadu has been identified as the ancestral home of Harris's maternal grandparents.

In an interview with Fox News, Vivek Ramaswamy remarked, "My parents were immigrants to this country, legal immigrants from southern India, the very same part of India that her mother also immigrated from." It was recalled by Ramaswamy that Kamala Harris emphasized her Indian-American heritage when she first ran for office in California as a Senator but is now perceived to "wear a different identity" on the national stage for political convenience, as per media report.

Criticism has been invited by Harris's focus on identity politics, according to Ramaswamy. "It is believed that reliance on ethnic identities should not be the basis for political decisions. Harris's candidacy is said to lack a clear vision for the country," Ramaswamy stated.

The debate has been intensified after accusations were made by former President Donald Trump, who claimed that Harris had shifted her racial identity for political gain, alleging that she "turned black" a few years ago despite her long-standing Indian heritage. If Harris were to win the upcoming presidential election, scheduled for November 5, she would be poised to make history as the first woman President of the United States.