US elections 2016: RO Khanna, a hope for Indian-American in Silicon Valley

The US Presidential elections are knocking on the door and in an attempt to capture the buzz, OneIndia reached out to a Democrat

1. The electoral process starts on Nov 8, 2016, right? Do we have some other elections in June too (refer your mail)

1. The congressional primary for my election will take place on June 7. It's a historic opportunity to elected an Indian American proud of their heritage to the U.S. Congress from Silicon Valley. This is the most important seat in the country. I hope everyone will vote and participate. My website is www.rokhanna.com.
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> 2. Why do you think Indians would be attracted to vote for the Democratic Party and your candidacy.

My passion is education. Prioritizing education is a value that many in the Indian American community share. I am pushing for college to be affordable and debt free, for more funding for our public schools, and for better technology in our classrooms. This is an agenda that many in the Indian American community agree with.

I also stand for an inclusive vision of America that welcomes immigrants and people of all faith. Many Indian Americans share a vision of American that is welcoming to immigrants and respectful of people of all faiths.
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> 3. California had the largest number of Indian immigrants in 2011 (380,700 or 21 percent of the nation's nearly 1.9 million Indian born), followed by New Jersey (210,400, or 11 percent). How will the Indians benefit if you won?
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3. The Indian American community needs to exercise its right to vote and serve. Even though there are nearly 200,000 Indian Americans in the Bay Area, only about 25 percent are voting. This election we expect record turnout, and my hope is every Indian American will vote this June 7th.

The biggest benefit to the community will be for future generations. We need to encourage young Indian Americans to believe that they can do anything in this country and they too have the chance to give back. When I win on a platform proud of my immigrant story, it will encourage many other young Indian Americans to participate in public service. I also will be very accessible and focused on helping all my constituents.

> 4. What will be your talking points? Anything noticeable that you have done, which can attract Indian votes?

4. Last election cycle we won 83 percent of the Indian American vote. The problem was that of 25,000 Indian Americans only 10,000 voted. This cycle the hope is every Indian American in Fremont, cupertino, milpitas, Newark, Santa Clara, and Sunnyvale will vote. That will allow us to make history. We anticipate a record turnout. My positions on education, the environment and getting special interest money out of politics will attract support. I hope folks will visit my website at www.rokhanna.com
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> 5. Solid grounds on the basis of which Indian-Americans will vote for you?
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5. The community is looking for representatives who will be proud of their heritage and values. I don't shy away from talking about my Hindu faith and for my respect for people of all faiths. I also talk about my grandfathers inspiration. He spent four years in jail fighting for India's independence. His passion for human rights and social justice has a profound impact on how I look at issues.

> 6. Hate crimes against Indians are on the rise. What can be done?

The hate crimes are because of stereotyping and not understanding the Indian American story. The only way we can change that is by having a seat at the table. We need people to vote. We need them to get involved. We need more folks to serve in Congress who understand the positive contributions the Indian American community has made. I know my win in 2016 will be historic for the Indian American community. I hope everyone will have a chance to participate by visiting www.rokhanna.com.

We need everyone's vote and financial support at any level to make history.