US Lawmakers Urge Marco Rubio to Raise Protest Issues During India Visit

Six U.S. Democratic lawmakers have urged U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss the alleged excessive use of force during student protests with Indian officials. In a letter dated Friday, October 17, 2026, congresspersons Pramila Jayapal, Ilhan Omar, Jim McGovern, Rashida Tlaib, Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Jesus Garcia expressed concern over a pattern of repression, wrongful detention, and security force actions in Delhi and other parts of India.

The lawmakers specifically highlighted the Cockroach Janata Party protests against former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and ongoing demonstrations demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. They also accused the Indian Embassy in Washington and consulates in other American cities of deploying photographers to survey protesters. Furthermore, Ms. Jayapal raised concerns regarding the removal of 130 million voters from draft electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision. India’s Ambassador to the U.S., Vinay Mohan Kwatra, condemned these remarks as unacceptable interference in internal affairs, while Democratic leader Ajay Jain Bhutoria also criticized the letter.

During his upcoming trip to India next week, Mr. Rubio will visit a Reliance unit in Jamnagar, Gujarat, and meet with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other officials in Mumbai, skipping Delhi. The lawmakers requested that Mr. Rubio press the Indian government to conduct transparent investigations into alleged human rights violations, secure the release of individuals wrongfully detained for peaceful assembly, and investigate reports of diplomatic missions intimidating protesters in the United States. Additionally, they urged the U.S. government to assess whether these actions render India ineligible for arms sales under the Arms Export Control Act.