Watch: Janmashtami Message From Tulsi Gabbard, The First Hindu Elected To The US Congress 

Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu lawmaker in the US Congress, has wished people around the world on the occasion of Janmashtami.

Gabard, a Democratic Representative from Hawaii, was in news last for criticising ‘sensationalist and absurd’ portrayal of Hinduism in CNN’s show Believer with Reza Aslan. In a series of tweets, Gabbard had accused CNN of using its ‘power and influence to increase people’s misunderstanding and fear of Hinduism’.

In November last year, Gabbard was named the chairperson of the World Hindu Congress (WHC) to be held in Chicago. Organised by the World Hindu Foundation, the first Congress was held in New Delhi in 2014. The second WHC will take place in Illinois in Chicago from 7 to 9 September this year.

Despite being a Democrat, Gabbard is popular among Republicans for her tough stand on Islamic terrorism. In 2017, Republicans had helped her by withdrawing support for their party's candidate Angela Kaaihue. The candidate, in a bigoted attack on Gabbard, Called her a "pathetic Hindu 1,000 gods leader."

Gabbard took the oath of office on a Bhagavad Gita at her swearing-in in January 2013. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US, she had gifted him the same copy she had held in her hand when she took oath.

Gabbard is a member of the powerful House Foreign Relations Committee.