On the recordJune 5, 2024
It is time to finally decolonize Puerto Rico. We have kept Puerto Rico as a territory since 1898, more than 125 years. Over 3 million people have been denied full political rights. My grandfather, Amaranath Vidyalankar, was in jail with Gandhi for over 4 years as part of India's independence movement. Self-determination is essential, and it is essential for Puerto Rico. We must either grant them full independence or statehood. I am committed to working directly with Puerto Ricans on this issue. It is not our place to tell them what they should choose, but we must end harmful policies like Act 22 that enables tax evasion by the wealthy at the expense of Puerto Rico. We also need to end the lack of food sovereignty in Puerto Rico. We must end Puerto Rico's colonial status. It was wrong for India, and it is wrong for Puerto Rico in 2024. ____________________
