Utah (US): The assassination of Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old American right-wing activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, has sent shockwaves through the conservative movement in the United States. Kirk was shot during a university campus event attended by nearly 3,000 people and later succumbed to his injuries.
Kirk had risen to prominence at a young age, co-founding Turning Point USA at just 18. Over the years, his fiery rhetoric, combative campus tours, and strong media presence made him one of the most influential voices of the Trump-era right wing. With over 5.2 million followers on X, 4 million YouTube subscribers, and a widely followed podcast ‘The Charlie Kirk Show’, he built a strong base of supporters and critics alike.
Kirk’s Operation Sindoor Remarks
In a video posted on May 8, Kirk addressed tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack that left 22 people dead and India’s military response under Operation Sindoor.
“India and Pakistan are on the verge of a war…Pakistan is 100% Muslim. Remember, they sheltered Bin Laden and have been a very, very sneaky actor. India is mostly Hindu. They don’t care for each other much at all,” Kirk said.
He described Pakistan’s nuclear threats as a “bluff” and suggested India had effectively called it out through Operation Sindoor. However, he opposed US intervention, stating:
“This is not our war. Maybe we slightly favour India because they’re retaliating to Islamic terror, but that should go no further than moral support.”
Immigration and Anti-India Views
Kirk was equally controversial on immigration. Just days before his death, he posted a harsh critique of the H-1B visa system, saying:
“America does not need more visas for people from India. Perhaps no form of legal immigration has so displaced American workers as those from India. Enough already. We’re full. Let’s finally put our own people first.”
Political Shockwaves
While many conservatives mourned his death, some Democrats disrupted congressional tributes, drawing attention instead to recent gun violence in Colorado.
The FBI and local authorities are investigating the attack, with the search for Kirk’s killer still underway. His killing has not only shaken US conservative politics but also brought his past controversial remarks on India, Pakistan, and immigration back into public debate.
