Thread by @FriedrichPieter

@MuqtedarKhan is surprised that "some Indian Muslim leaders are more interested in [Sri Preston Kulkarni's] alleged links to Hindu nationalism" than in electing a Democrat — even an #RSS-backed one.

Perhaps it's because RSS massacres Muslims in India?

thewire.in/world/hindutva…

@MuqtedarKhan, I recommend you spend more time studying the #RSS, what it has done already to Indian Muslims and what it plans for them in future, as well as how Hindu nationalism is a kissing cousin of white nationalism and concern for one requires equal concern for the other.

Yet again, @MuqtedarKhan’s journalism is lacking.

“Kulkarni has been accused of being close to Hindu nationalists,” he writes. Okay? Close HOW? Your article lacks the slightest detail. Funding? Associations? What? Are the details of the “closeness” unimportant to a journalist?

Surprised that @thewire_in published such an ill-informed article. "Some Indian Muslim leaders in their zeal to oppose Hindutva may actually be aiding it by helping Trump and his party win," writes Khan. His political naivete is showing...

#TX22 is ALREADY a Republican seat. Democrats are hoping to gain it — not keep it. Failing to win it is not a loss, it's a lack of gain.

Furthermore, Dems are predicted to win the House nationally regardless of TX22. Failing to gain the seat makes zero impact....

Furthermore, I've spoken w/many #TX22 Muslims who say "I'm a lifelong Dem, but I'm going to vote for the Rep as a protest vote to STOP Kulkarni because he's RSS-backed." They pledge to vote Dem on EVERY other office, including and especially for president....

Thus, arguing that voting against Kulkarni as he campaigns to win a seat which has been held by Republicans for years — while voting FOR Biden to unseat Trump — is somehow "helping Trump" makes no sense whatsoever. It's a ridiculous argument without logical basis.

"Indian Muslims are turning red in Houston," says Khan, which is a deliberate twisting of the reality of the situation. It makes it sound as though Indian Muslims are suddenly joining the Republican Party. They're not. As stated, they're voting AGAINST Kulkarni.

"Foreign conflicts are dividing South Asians & South Asian Muslims into opposite political camps unwilling to trust or engage each other," says Khan.

Multiple things wrong with this.

1) They're not "foreign conflicts." As Khan well knows, the RSS is EXTREMELY active in US...

... and has an extensive presence in Houston. "Howdy, Modi" was hosted there, no? The Sangh is responsible for making these issues ones that are of relevance to Houstonians. So why is he blaming Indian Muslims?

2) Conflict is not dividing "South Asians" & South Asian Muslims...

... but rather it is dividing RSS-BJP supporters and South Asian Muslims, who are — unsurprisingly — already divided by virtue of the nature of the RSS-BJP.

3) He says these two groups are becoming "unwilling to trust" each other, but why is he shocked that...

... Indian Muslims would be unwilling to trust the RSS-BJP, which has both stated goals as well as a long track record of eliminating and perpetrating violence against Indian Muslims. Of course they don't trust the Sangh.

Further, I'm surprised Wire's sterling editorial team led by
@svaradarajan & @bombaywallah didn't properly fact-check Khan's article. He gets even basic facts wrong.

For instance, he writes, "In 2018 [Kulkarni] lost by 10 percentage points." No, he didn't. He lost by 5 points.