US leader’s anti-India remarks backfire; City Council censures him, strips several rights

Washington (The Uttam Hindu): A local leader in the US state of Florida has paid a heavy price for his anti-India and Indian rhetoric. Following inflammatory remarks made by Palm Bay Council member Chandler Langevin, the City Council passed a 3-2 majority vote of censure against him. Following this action, Langevin has been stripped of several of his powers.

Langevin, who was elected only last year, had posted several offensive and inflammatory posts against Indians on social media. According to The Washington Post, he had called for the mass deportation of Indians from the United States.

Langevin wrote, "There isn't a single Indian who cares about America." He also called on former President Trump to cancel all Indian visas. He even said, "Indians don't fit in here. They come to empty our pockets and return rich to India. Or worse, to stay here."

These racist comments sparked widespread outrage among the Indian-American community, some members of Congress, and local residents. Large numbers of Indian community members and representatives of Indian-American organizations attended Palm Bay City Council meetings, demanding Langevin's resignation.

Langevin's powers have been significantly limited after being censured by the Council. As part of this action, he will no longer be able to introduce any new items to the agenda without the Council's consent. He will also not be allowed to speak during commissioner comments and has been removed from all of his committees.

Langevin, on the other hand, has called the action an attack on his First Amendment rights, or freedom of expression. Speaking to The Washington Post, he said his intention was simply to spark a discussion about immigration policies. He also claimed he filed the lawsuit against the city because he was being "silenced for his political disagreement."

Mayor Rob Medina admonished Langevin during the council meeting, saying, "This country is built on immigrants. We are all part of the same fabric of the American flag."

Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on Langevin to resign. The US-based advocacy group Hindus for Human Rights has written a letter to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis calling for Langevin's removal. The entire incident has sparked anger and concern among Florida's Indian-American community.