(CNN)
When American author Meena Harris tweeted criticism of the Indian state’s clampdown on farmers protesting agricultural reforms, nationalist counter-protesters responded by burning her portrait. Hundreds of Indians barraged her with abuse on Twitter, telling her to stay out of their country’s affairs.
Harris — who is the niece of US Vice President Kamala Harris and is also of Indian descent — rejected the idea that the 18 million people who make up the Indian diaspora had no place in expressing opinions on the country. In the US alone, 4.8 million people are either Indian migrantsor report Indian heritage.
“Don’t tell me to stay out of your affairs,” Harris wrote earlier this month on Twitter. “These are all of our issues.”
