SENATE RESOLUTION
8604
By Senators Dhingra, Hasegawa, Pedersen, and Wagoner
WHEREAS, January 26, 2025, marked the 76th Republic Day in India, commemorating the effective adoption of the Constitution of the world's largest democracy; and
WHEREAS, India solidified their achievement of independence from British rule through peaceful and nonviolent resistance; and
WHEREAS, India's Constitution requires equality under the law, asserts equality before law, and declares that "the State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India"; and
WHEREAS, India has a strong tradition of maintaining democratic ideals through robust checks on those in power; and
WHEREAS, Washington state has many cultural and economic ties to India, including more than 100,000 Indian Americans living in the state; and
WHEREAS, Indian Americans are small business owners, entrepreneurs, and CEOs of Washington companies, including the founding officers of many Seattle-based tech companies; and
WHEREAS, These businesses provide valuable services, resources, and jobs to the people of this state; and
WHEREAS, Indian Americans have been emigrating to the West Coast since the 19th century, working in our most vital industries including agriculture, logging, and trade; and
WHEREAS, Indian Americans reflect the values of inclusion and pluralism through their many cultural and religious identities, including Muslim, Sikh, and Hindu; and