News
www.indiaweekly.biz • October 2025
04
A TEXAS Republican Sen
ate candidate, Alexander
Duncan, has ignited a con
troversy after calling the
Hindu god Hanuman ‘false’
and declaring that America
is a ‘Christian nation.’ His
remarks, made on social
media alongside a video of a
90-foot statue of Hanuman
in Sugar Land, Texas, have
drawn widespread condem
nation from Hindu groups
and social media users
across the US.
Duncan’s post read, “Why
are we allowing a false stat
ue of a false Hindu god to
be here in Texas? We are a
CHRISTIAN nation!” He fol
lowed it with a Bible verse
from Exodus 20:3-4, which
prohibits the worship of
idols or gods other than the
Christian deity.
The statue in question,
known as the Statue of
Union, stands at the Sri
Ashtalakshmi Temple in
Sugar Land and was inaugu
rated in 2024. At 90 feet tall,
it is the tallest Hanuman
statue in North America and
the third-tallest in the Unit
ed States. The monument,
built under the guidance of
Sri Chinnajeeyar Swamiji,
has become a major cultural
and spiritual symbol for the
growing Hindu American
community in Texas.
Duncan’s comments were
met with sharp criticism
from the Hindu American
Foundation (HAF), which
described them as ‘anti-Hin
du hate.’ The organization
demanded action from the
Republican Party of Texas,
questioning whether the
party would discipline its
candidate for promoting re
ligious discrimination. The
HAF pointed out that such
remarks contradict the First
Amendment of the US Con
stitution, which guarantees
freedom of religion and pro
hibits the establishment of
any official faith.
Social media users also
condemned Duncan’s
stance, accusing him of reli
gious intolerance. One com
menter reminded him that
Hinduism predates Christi
anity by thousands of years,
calling the Vedas ‘extraordi
nary texts’ that influenced
many spiritual traditions.
Another user noted that the
existence of a statue does
not impose religion on any
one and that denying space
to other faiths undermines
America’s core values of lib
erty and diversity.
While the Republican
Party of Texas has yet to re
spond to the incident, the
episode has renewed calls
for greater awareness and
respect for religious plural
ism in American public life.
US lawmakers urge Trump
to roll back India tariffs
BIPARTISAN LETTER WARNS PUNITIVE DUTIES HARM BOTH ECONOMIES
ON THE occasion of Ma
hatma Gandhi Jayanti,
Ambassador Vinay
Kwatra and officials
from the Embassy of In
dia in Washington, D.C.
paid floral tributes to
the Father of the Nation,
marking a solemn mo
ment of remembrance
and respect.
Ahead of the national
observance, the Em
bassy hosted a special
event on September 30,
2025, celebrating Gan
dhiji’s enduring legacy
and universal message
of peace and nonvio
lence. The event saw
enthusiastic participa
tion from the Indian di
aspora, students, pro
fessionals, and friends
of India across the Unit
ed States.
The highlight of the
program was an inspir
ing talk by Smt. Karuna,
Director of the Gandhi
Memorial Center in
Bethesda, Maryland.
She spoke on “Gandhi’s
Life and Message,”
sharing moving anec
dotes from Gandhiji’s
journey, his influences,
and his vision for a just
and harmonious world.
The event concluded
with soulful perfor
mances of bhajans and
devotional songs belov
ed by Bapu, rendered by
differently abled Indian
artists, Anusha Manju
nath and Vasundhara
Raturi. Their heartfelt
renditions added a
touch of grace and
emotion to the evening,
capturing the essence
of the Gandhian spirit.
The celebration re
flected India’s deep-
rooted connection to
Gandhiji’s ideals and
their continued reso
nance among commu
nities worldwide.
Embassy marks
Gandhi Jayanti
with tributes
US candidate calls Hanuman ‘false god’
A BIPARTISAN group of 19 US lawmakers, led by
Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna and
Congresswoman Deborah Ross, has urged presi
dent Donald Trump to reverse the administra
tion’s recently imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indi
an goods, warning that such measures could desta
bilize a key strategic partnership and drive India
toward China and Russia.
In a strongly worded letter sent to the White House
on Wednesday (15), the lawmakers cautioned that the
punitive tariffs were “counterproductive and harmful”
to both American consumers and manufacturers, stress
ing the need for the US to “reset and repair this critical
partnership” with India rather than alienate it.
Lawmakers warn against straining key partnership
The appeal represents one of the most forceful inter
ventions from Capitol Hill against the Trump adminis
tration’s aggressive trade stance toward India. The sig
natories emphasized that their congressional districts
include large and vibrant Indian-American communi
ties, deeply tied to India through culture, commerce,
and innovation.
“Recent actions by your administration have strained
relations with the world’s largest democracy, creating
negative consequences for both countries,” the letter
stated. The lawmakers underscored that India remains
an indispensable partner in maintaining regional stabil
ity in the Indo-Pacific, particularly through its role in
The Quad alliance, a four-nation partnership with the
US, Japan, and Australia designed to balance China’s
growing geopolitical influence.
Ro Khanna’s advocacy for stronger US-India relations
Congressman Ro Khanna, who represents California’s
17th congressional district and co-chairs the Congres
sional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, has been
a consistent advocate for bolstering ties between Wash
ington and New Delhi. Along with Congresswoman
Ross, he emphasized that Trump’s tariff policy threat
ens both American and Indian jobs, undermining dec
ades of diplomatic cooperation.
“The US-India trade relationship supports hundreds
of thousands of jobs across both countries,” the lawmak
ers wrote, urging the administration to adopt a coopera
tive trade strategy rather than a confrontational one.
The letter’s signatories also included prominent Indian-
American legislators such as Raja Krishnamoorthi, Suhas
Subramanyam, Pramila Jayapal, and Shri Thanedar.
Tariffs trigger diplomatic and economic backlash
Trump’s tariffs are part of a series of escalating trade
measures targeting Indian exports. Earlier this year, the
President invoked powers under the International
Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose a
25 per cent reciprocal tariff on Indian goods. A few days
later, he signed an executive order imposing an addi
tional 25 per cent penalty, citing India’s ongoing oil
trade with Russia despite Western sanctions.
Together, these measures have effectively doubled
import costs for many Indian products entering the US,
impacting industries from textiles and pharmaceuticals
to engineering components. The resulting economic
strain has sparked concern among exporters and policy
makers on both sides, as the tariffs not only disrupt
trade flows but also risk inflationary pressures in the
US by increasing import costs for essential goods.
Call for review and reset
The group concluded their letter by urging the Trump
administration to review and roll back the tariff policy,
arguing that both countries stand to lose from confronta
tion. They reiterated that India and the United States, as
the world’s two largest democracies, share common val
ues of freedom, innovation, and economic opportunity
that should form the foundation of their relationship.
Ro Khanna’s leadership in this effort highlights a bi
partisan understanding that punitive trade measures
threaten not just business interests, but the broader
strategic and democratic alignment that has under
pinned US-India relations for decades.
As Washington debates its global trade and foreign
policy priorities, this congressional appeal signals a
growing consensus: America’s partnership with India is
too valuable to risk over tariffs.
CALL FOR RESPECT:
Hindu American
Foundation files
complaint against
Texas candidate
Alexander Duncan for
anti-Hindu remarks
POLICY BACKLASH:
Indian-American Democratic
Congressman Ro Khanna
© X/@AlexDuncanTX
© Getty Images