The Caravan – August 2019

AUGUST 2019 41

tatives who had been in office for de-

cades. The only other exception was

Ami Bera, who received a donation af-

ter winning the California Democratic

primary. Perhaps the group perceived a

future ally in Gabbard. Its founder, San-

jay Puri, was later praised for “champi-

oning the cause and work” of Modi in

Washington while he was still only the

chief minister of Gujarat.

A few weeks later, Gabbard got dona-

tions from Sant Das Gupta, a member

of the VHPA’s governing council and

an activist for the Hindu Janajagruti

Samiti, an RSS offshoot. Shekar Reddy,

an advisor to Ekal-Florida, gave $2,500.

Ramesh Bhutada and his son, Rishi,

contributed a combined $2,999 that

same month. Meghani began mobilis-

ing his network in earnest, after mak-

ing another contribution.

“Join me in helping elect to the US

Congress an exceptional woman who is

a decorated war veteran, a bright light

in the world of politics, and who hap-

pens to be a born Hindu and practicing

Hindu,” Meghani wrote in a July email

to his network. He emphasised that it

was an easy election to win. Urging peo-

ple to give, he noted, “The earlier she

gets the money, the better her chance

of winning.” He added that Gabbard’s

candidacy was backed by the USINPAC

as well as “community organiser Vijay

Pallod.” Donations from Indian Amer-

icans, many with key positions in the

HSS, VHPA and Ekal, started coming

in from Virginia, New Jersey, Florida,

Texas, Maryland and California.

OFBJP HSS EKAL

NAMONYC,IDRF

SEWA-USA,WHEF

MIHIR

MEGHANI

$24,450

RAVI

TILAK

$25,800

RAMESH

B H UTADA

$26,300

ANIL

DESHPANDE

$25,100

SHEKAR

REDDY

$13,700

BHARAT

BARAI

$19,005

V H PA

All sums represent cumulative donations from the individuals and their immediate family members. source: Federal Election Commission records 2011-2018

DONATIONS TO TULSI GABBARD’S CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN

BY MAJOR SANGH EXECUTIVES