Kamala Harris Mocked for Claiming Grandmother Used ‘Bullhorn’ to Promote Abortion in India: ‘That Didn’t Happen’

Vice President Kamala Harris is facing widespread ridicule over a past statement wherein she claimed her grandmother would travel to rural Indian villages with a “bullhorn” to advocate for abortion access among local women.

During a keynote speech at the Madeleine K. Albright Luncheon in 2017, Harris, who was a newly elected Senator from California at the time, began by sharing a story of her personal background and how her grandmother championed “reproductive healthcare” in India.

Harris relayed that she comes from “a long line of tough, trailblazing and phenomenal women,” recalling how her grandmother would visit villages armed with a bullhorn, promoting access to abortion.

“My grandmother would go into villages in India… with a bullhorn talking with the women about the need to have access to reproductive health care,” she recounted, in what was considered a revolutionary stance in a culture where women’s rights were often suppressed.

The 2024 Democratic presidential candidate noted that her grandmother persisted despite facing backlash and her grandfather’s concern that her activism might end his career.

“She was an extraordinary woman,” she added.

According to Kamala D. Harris: Biography of Inspirational Personality by Dr. Gopal Sharma, Harris’s grandmother, Rajam Gopalan, was betrothed at twelve, began living with her husband at sixteen, and never attended high school.

Harris insisted that her grandmother’s legacy of defiance shaped her commitment to championing women’s rights and social justice.

“Women who speak up for their rights are often met with violence or oppression,” she said.

A recent viral clip of her comments garnered over two million views within hours.

“Yeah, that didn’t happen,” wrote right-wing media personality Collin Rugg.

“I’ll take things that never happened for $500, Alex,” wrote the popular Libs of TikTok account.

“Why do Democrats think they can tell ridiculous lies? And still has not posted any policies,” wrote podcast host Cash Loren.

“I call bullshit,” wrote Republican civil rights attorney Harmeet Dhillon.

“Was she, too, eaten by cannibals?” asked veteran actor James Woods.

The matter comes as Harris continues to face backlash over past statements and policies, including her 2019 call to remove police officers from schools and a 2021 Elle interview where she recounted an anecdote about demanding “fweedom” as a child, which closely mirrors a famous tale told by Martin Luther King Jr. 

She has also faced criticism for crafting a contrived persona to advance her career, portraying herself as part of marginalized groups despite her privileged upbringing.

Last week, former President Donald Trump criticized Harris for her questionable insistence on having worked at McDonald’s, a claim investigations have found no evidence to support.