Washington: A senior Republican leader in Texas has triggered a storm of criticism after calling a towering statue of Lord Hanuman a “false Hindu God” in a social media post.
Alexander Duncan, a Republican figure reportedly affiliated with the party of President Donald Trump, took to the platform X to object to the 90-foot statue of Lord Hanuman installed at the Shri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, Texas. Known as the “Statue of Union,” it is one of the tallest Hindu monuments in the United States.
“Why are we allowing a false statue of a false Hindu God to be here in Texas? We are a CHRISTIAN nation,” Duncan wrote, sharing a video of the monument.
In a follow-up post, he cited Exodus 20:3-4 from the Bible: “You must not have any other god but me. You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.”
Duncan’s remarks drew swift backlash on social media and from religious freedom advocates. The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) condemned the comments as “anti-Hindu and inflammatory” and urged the Republican Party of Texas to take disciplinary action.
“Hello @TexasGOP, will you be disciplining your senate candidate from your party who openly contravenes your own guidelines against discrimination—displaying some pretty sordid anti-Hindu hate—not to mention disrespect for the 1st Amendment’s Establishment Clause?” HAF wrote in a public statement directed at the state party.
Supporters of religious freedom and interfaith respect also responded. Jordan Crowder, an X user, noted: “Just because you're not Hindu, doesn't make it false. The Vedas were written almost 2000 years before Jesus walked the earth and are extraordinary texts. And there's obvious influences on Christianity… so it would be wise to honor and research the ‘religion’ that predates and influences yours.”
The Statue of Union, unveiled in 2024 and envisioned by Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji, is dedicated to Lord Hanuman and represents unity, harmony and inclusiveness, core tenets of the Hindu faith. Standing as the third-tallest statue in the United States, it has drawn widespread interest from the Indian-American diaspora and interfaith groups alike.
With IANS inputs