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Kashyap 'Kash' Patel, US President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the FBI, was spotted on Thursday touching the feet of his parents to take their blessings ahead of his confirmation hearing. He also greeted 'Jai Shri Krishna' to them while introducing his family at the hearing.
In a video that has gone viral, Patel, an Indian-origin lawyer who is born to parents of Gujarati heritage, is seen bowing down to touch the feet of his mother and father before the confirmation hearing.
In another viral video, the 44-year-old introduced his parents and his sister while appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee at his confirmation hearing to be the FBI Director.
"I would like to welcome my father, Pramod, and my mother, Anjana, who are sitting here today. They travelled here from India. My sister, Nisha, is also here. She also travelled across the oceans just to be with me. It means the world that you guys are here. Jai Shri Krishna," Patel said.
He said he not only carried the dreams of his parents but also the hopes of millions of Americans who stand for justice, fairness and the rule of law.
"I wouldn't be here today without their guidance, their unwavering support, and their relentless love. When President Trump informed me of his intention to nominate me as the director of the FBI, I was deeply honoured," he said.
If confirmed, Patel would be the first Hindu and Indian-American to be FBI Director.
He said his father fled Idi Amin's genocidal dictatorship in Uganda, where three lakh men, women and children were killed based on their ethnicity "just because they happened to look like me".
"My mother is originally from Tanzania. She studied in India, as did my dad and they were married there. They would later emigrate to New York, where I was born, and we were raised in a household of my father’s seven siblings, their spouses, and at least half a dozen children," he said.
"That's the only way we knew how to do things at the time, in the '70s and '80s, the Indian way, but we would soon learn the American way," he added.
Patel told lawmakers that he had been subjected to racism while growing up. "Unfortunately, Senator, yes. I don't want to get into those details with my family here," he said while responding to a question from Senator Lindsey Graham if he had ever been subject to racism as an individual.
WHO IS KASH PATEL?
Patel has had a diverse career in law and national security. He started out as a public defender, trying complex cases ranging from murder to financial crimes in state and federal courts.
He later transitioned to the Department of Justice (DOJ) where he worked as a terrorism prosecutor, leading investigations and overseeing the prosecution of criminals aligned with Al-Qaeda and ISIS.
Patel gained national attention as a congressional aide to Rep. Devin Nunes in 2018. As the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, Nunes spearheaded efforts to discredit the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Patel played a pivotal role in drafting a classified memo that alleged FBI abuses of surveillance laws targeting Trump campaign advisers.
His career trajectory took him to roles on Trump’s Security Council in 2019 and later as chief of staff to the acting defence secretary during the final months of Trump’s presidency.
The 44-year-old's vision includes declassifying extensive government secrets and revoking security clearances for individuals involved in past investigations of Trump.
(with inputs from PTI)
Published By:
Prateek Chakraborty
Published On:
Jan 31, 2025
