A row has erupted in the US after Indian-origin Congress candidate Jay Vainjakar was criticized for campaigning in Hindi while addressing members of the Desi community in New Jersey.The controversy began after Indian-American commentator Mehek Kwok posted on X, responding to a video of Vainjakar speaking in Hindi about uplifting the “desi community” in the state.She said Jay is replacing Americans in the US: “A candidate for US Congress is running his entire election campaign in a foreign language. Jay Vaingankar isn’t campaigning for Americans – he’s campaigning for alternatives to them. That’s not accurate anymore.”
Who is Jay Vainjakar?
Vainjakar, 28, is a former Biden administration official running for New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District. His campaign also recently highlighted strong early fundraising numbers.According to his campaign, he raised nearly $110,000 in the first quarter of 2026, bringing his total funds to more than $260,000. That includes more than $150,000 raised in December 2025 when he launched his show.A press release from the campaign said the money came largely from grassroots support, with no contributions from corporate political action committees or special interest groups.
The average online donation was reported as $33.44.“We are building this campaign the right way, with real grassroots support from people who want a new generation of leadership in Congress,” Vainjakar said.“We don’t take a dime from corporate political action committees or special interests, which means we’re accountable to the people we’re running to serve,” Jay added. “This early support shows that our message is resonating and that we’re in a strong position to compete against elected officials who are twice my age, candidates who have run before or who have established political networks.”Vainjakar previously served as a special advisor in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Policy. His work has focused on energy policy, including clean energy initiatives and efforts to improve efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.He grew up in Hightstown, New Jersey, in a family of immigrant parents and studied at the University of Pennsylvania. He later worked as a community organizer and in the community solar sector, focusing on expanding access to affordable energy.The campaign video that sparked the controversy shows Vainjakar speaking in Hindi while addressing the South Asian community, a large group of voters in parts of New Jersey.He is of Indian descent and was raised in Hightstown, New Jersey by his parents who immigrated from Mumbai before his birth.
