‘False Hindu God’: Republican leader’s comment on Lord Hanuman sparks outrage

A Republican leader’s recent remark on Lord Hanuman has stirred up a storm with several American Hindu groups accusing him of spreading hate.

Alexander Duncan, a 34-year-old Republican candidate for the Senate, termed the United States a Christian nation as he objected to the construction of a statue of the Hindu God at Shri Ashtalakshmi Temple in the town of 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.

The Hindu American Foundation hit out at the politician, accusing him of displaying “pretty sordid anti-Hindu hate”.

"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 HAF said in a post.

As the controversy raged in, a defiant Duncan took to X again on Monday, saying, “I’m just calling it what it is, an IDOL”. He also quoted a couple of verses 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. Exodus 20:3-4," he wrote in his post.

"They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshipped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. Romans 1:25,” he added.

Duncan’s campaign manager Derek Ayala argued that the Republican candidate has the right to express his personal beliefs under the First Amendment. 

“He has not advocated for policies that would prevent Hindus from practising their religion. The US was founded with Christian principles, and his perspective is part of a broader dialogue on national identity. There is no evidence that his rhetoric translates into discriminatory actions, and his free speech is protected,” Ayala wrote on X.

The 90-foot statue, named as the ‘Statue of Union’, was unveiled in 2024, and is the tallest statue of Lord Hanuman in North America.

“Hanuman united Sri Rama with Sita and hence the name, Statue of Union. The project in its entirety is the vision of His Holiness Sri Chinnajeeyar Swamiji,” the SoU website says.