A Republican politician in Texas has ignited a firestorm of criticism after describing Hindu God Hanuman as “false” and declaring the United States a “Christian nation” in a social media post that many have condemned as bigoted and anti-Hindu.
Alexander Duncan, a Texas Republican Senate candidate, drew widespread outrage after sharing a video of the 90-foot-tall bronze Statue of Hanuman, located at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, Texas. “Why are we allowing a false statue of a false Hindu God to be here in Texas? We are a CHRISTIAN nation!” Duncan wrote on X (formerly Twitter) last week. The comments triggered swift condemnation from the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), which accused Duncan of violating the Republican Party’s own anti-discrimination guidelines and urged the Texas GOP 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?” the foundation posted on X, tagging the official Republican Party of Texas handle.
The Statue of Union, as the Hanuman statue is also known, is the tallest Hanuman statue in North America and a prominent religious and cultural symbol for Hindu Americans in the region. Duncan’s remarks have not only offended religious sentiments but also raised alarm over the implications for religious freedom and pluralism in the United States.
Social media users from across religious and political spectrums joined in the criticism, with many pointing to the constitutional principle of separation of church and state. “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,” one user wrote. “It would be wise to honour and research the religion that predates and influences yours.”
Another pointed out that the presence of a religious statue does not amount to imposition of beliefs. “We may be a Christian MAJORITY nation but, if you try to claim that other beliefs are not allowed here, then you are advocating a theocracy, which is antithetical to American values.” As of Tuesday, the Texas Republican Party has not publicly responded to the controversy or clarified whether any action will be taken against Duncan. The episode has once again brought attention to the broader issue of religious intolerance and the growing demand from minority communities for political accountability in the face of hate speech.
