Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) on Wednesday became the latest Democratic "Squad" member to announce she would boycott the address to Congress by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, whom she described as having a "deeply troubling human rights record."
"A joint address is among the most prestigious invitations and honors the United States Congress can extend," Ocasio-Cortez said. "We should not do so for individuals with deeply troubling human rights records."
Ocasio-Cortez follows Squad members Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (Minn.), who announced their boycotts earlier this week and similarly cited human rights and the treatment of Muslims in the majority-Hindu country.
"It's shameful that Modi has been given a platform at our nation's capital—his long history of human rights abuses, anti-democratic actions, targeting Muslims & religious minorities, and censoring journalists is unacceptable," Tlaib tweeted.
Omar announced she will host a "briefing with human rights groups" to talk about Modi's alleged record.
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