A social media dispute erupted after members of the public criticized New Jersey Transit Board Member Shanti Nara for attending a recent Operations Committee meeting remotely rather than in person.Posts shared on This post also urged “DEI: Deport every Indian”. Others said: “She is the worst board member in the history of NJ Transit and now she only appears remotely. If you can’t be there in person, don’t sign on and resign from the board!”
The comments sparked debate about board attendance expectations and raised questions about appropriate behavior when responding to government officials.
Shanti Nara is a long-serving public figure in New Jersey. She was born in Hyderabad, India, and moved to the United States with her family when she was two years old. She grew up in North Brunswick, New Jersey, and graduated from high school there in 1985. Ms. Nara earned a bachelor’s degree in foreign service and a juris doctor from Georgetown University Law Center.Prior to her appointment to the NJ Transit Board of Directors, Nara was a public defender at the Legal Aid Society of New York City, where she prosecuted criminal cases and served in union leadership roles.
She was also the first South Asian freeholder in New Jersey.The New Jersey Transportation Operations and Customer Service Committee held its regularly scheduled meeting on Friday. According to NJ Transit’s official website, the session was streamed live and included discussion of operational and customer service issues.
