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‘Microphone not snatched’: AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj on viral exchange between Vance and woman
The exchange took place during a Q&A session of the Turning Point USA event at the University of Mississippi.
In the wake of a woman questioning United States Vice President JD Vance over the Donald Trump-led administration's hardline immigration stance, scores of people, including Opposition leaders in India, have lauded the woman for confronting Vance.
The exchange took place during a Q&A session of the Turning Point USA event at the University of Mississippi, with the woman, believed to be a student of South Asian descent, confronting Vance on the US government's efforts to reduce immigration.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj praised the conversation between Vance and the woman, who was seen wearing a bindi in the viral video, while saying, “This is called democracy.”
In a post on social media platform X, Bharadwaj said that an Indian student in America could question the Vice President, and the latter had responded.
Bharadwaj said that the student was telling the government that it is “wrong to deport people” of other countries who had settled in the US.
“She is saying that Christianity cannot have a monopoly on American nationality. And the microphone is not being snatched from her hand. And the Vice President is also giving answers,” Bharadwaj said.
‘Heartbreaking yet powerful’: Netizens react on viral Vance video
The exchange between Vance and the woman went viral on social media platforms.
Some users applauded the student's “courage and grace” in confronting Vance. “Heartbreaking yet powerful moment at the Turning Point USA event. That Indian-origin student showed incredible courage and grace confronting VP JD Vance on immigration policies. Her emotional plea about exploited dreams resonates deeply. Kudos to her for standing up!” a user posted on X.
Others pointed to Vance's in-laws being “Indian scholars”. “America doesn’t need to import a foreign class of servants,” says JD Vance, forgetting his own in-laws came here as Indian scholars. Call it what it is. This isn’t nationalism, it’s racism dressed up as patriotism,” one user said.
Vance's remarks on wife Usha's faith spark outrage
The interaction stirred a row after Vance in a remark, what many say, expressed his willingness to one day see his wife Usha embrace Christianity.
“Do I hope eventually that she is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved in by church? Yeah, I honestly do with that,” he said.
The statement went viral and drew backlash from several Indian and American users. “I’m sorry, they have been married for 11 years and he is somehow still hoping she will change religions? And saying it in public? If I’m her, I’m PISSED,” a user posted on X.
Following the outrage, Vance issued a clarification saying his wife has “no plans to convert.”
“She is not a Christian and has no plans to convert, but like many people in an interfaith marriage--or any interfaith relationship--I hope she may one day see things as I do,” Vance said.
“I'll continue to love and support her and talk to her about faith and life and everything else, because she's my wife,” the US Vice President added.
