Kamala Harris called out after she claims her grandfather 'had been part of' India's independence movement

WASHINGTON, DC: In the lead-up to what promises to be an electric debate with former President Donald Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris took a moment to celebrate her heritage and the contributions of her maternal grandparents - PV Gopalan and Rajam Gopalan.

The timing was perfect as she made this tribute on National Grandparents Day. However, what was meant to be a heartfelt homage quickly turned into controversy after critics questioned the accuracy of her claims.

Kamala Harris touts grandfather's alleged role in India's independence movement

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Democratic presidential nominee shared a nostalgic family photo and reminisced about the lessons she learned from her grandfather during her childhood visits to India.

She wrote, "As a young girl visiting my grandparents in India, my grandfather took me on his morning walks, where he would discuss the importance of fighting for equality and fighting corruption. He was a retired civil servant who had been part of the movement to win India’s independence."

She is referring to PV Gopalan, who had a career in civil service working both for the Indian government after independence and for the British administration during the colonial era.

According to historical accounts, Gopalan played a role in aiding refugees from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in their relocation to India. Moreover, he also served as an advisor to the former president of Zambia Kenneth Kaunda.

Harris also paid tribute to her grandmother Rajam Gopalan, who was known for her social work in Zambia.

"My grandmother traveled across India — bullhorn in hand — to speak with women about accessing birth control. Their commitment to public service and fight for a better future live on in me today," she added.

Harris faces backlash for her claims

Eagle-eyed observers on social media were quick to poke holes in her story, especially the claim that her grandfather was involved in India's fight for independence.

"LIAR! Your grandfather was in the British Imperial Secretariat Service which became the Central Secretariat Service after independence. How could a serving bureaucrat be part of the independence movement opposing the same government & violating service rules?" one posted on X.

"Oh give it a rest. Just like how you said you worked at McDonald's but you never did?" another wrote.

"Yes. I know what you mean. When I was 5, my grandfather and I took long walks and discussed nuclear physics, keynesian economics, general relativity, and the Quadrilateral theorem," a third user quipped.

"Your father is a Marxist professor. Equality… no he preached equal outcomes just as you do with communist 'equity.' Hence, you fought to discriminate against Asian American college applicants to achieve equal outcomes," someone else alleged.

"'Happy Grandparents Day' 'Look at the spices I bought' 'Doug likes pretzels' 'I got these jazz albums' 'I'm a Doritos fan' I DON'T CARE. YOU ARE APPLYING TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND OUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF. What are your POLICIES?!?" read a comment.

"You are a chameleon. When you won the Senate you were [an] Indian. Now all of a sudden you’re black. Which is it?" another wondered.

Historical inaccuracy in Harris' claim about grandfather

Kamala Harris has often referred to her grandfather as one of the “original independence fighters in India.” However, historical records depict PV Gopalan as a dedicated civil servant but not necessarily as a freedom fighter.

In fact, Gopalan's own son — Harris's uncle G Balachandran — suggested that his father would likely have been dismissed from service if he had openly supported the end of British rule.

According to Hindustan Times, PV Gopalan was born in 1911 in Painganadu near the presidency of Madras. His career as a civil servant began during the British colonial era and continued after India's independence in 1947.

While his contributions are well-documented, the notion that Gopalan was a freedom fighter in the independence movement appears to be more of a family narrative than a historical fact.

Harris is currently preparing to face Trump in what is expected to be a heated debate on September 10.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.