Washington: The Federal Communications Commission chairman, Ajit Pai, has come under a blistering attack by several Indian-American lawmakers and activists for his proposal to repeal the Obama-era net neutrality policy.
The activists also protested outside Pai's home in Virginia with signs directing at his children.
Pai, 44, blasted the activists for "harassing" his family members, saying they "crossed the line".
He is facing backlash from his opponents for his proposal which seeks to reverse Obama era's net neutrality, which meant that all websites are treated equally by Internet providers.
His proposal would end net neutrality and give big Internet providers like Comcast and Verizon broad powers to determine what website should reach out to subscribers faster than others.
The activists not only staged protest outside Pai's home with signs directing at his children, they also reportedly sent pizzas to his home every half-and-hour. Some media reports said the frequency was every 15 minutes.
This is the first instance that a senior Indian-American administration official in any of the presidential administration being harassed and threatened by opponents.
Signboards and placards placed by protestors outside Pai's house in Virginia mocked him for his views.
"I understand that people are passionate about policy, but the one thing in America that should remain sacred is that families, wives and kids, should remain out of it. And stop harassing us at our homes," Pai told 'Fox and Friends'.
His proposal is scheduled to come out to vote before FCC on December 14. This is expected to pass as the Republicans have five votes as against three from the Democratic Party.
Pai expressed his displeasure when asked about the protest outside his house in Virginia. "It was a little nerve-racking, especially for my wife," he said.
"Internet regulation activists have crossed the line by threatening and harassing my family. They should leave my family out of this and focus on debating the merits of the issue," Pai was quoted as saying by The Washington Post.
In an interview to PBS News early this month, Pai had said the digital landscape has changed, and the government should stop "micromanaging the Web".