In the United States, a country that prides itself on pluralism and religious freedom, there is an alarming and growing trend of Hinduphobia that is increasingly becoming mainstream. Mocking Hindu gods, deriding Hindu practices, and vilifying Indian roots have, disturbingly, become fashionable among certain segments of the American socio-political class. What was once a fringe prejudice is now being openly celebrated and rewarded, both in political discourse and on social media platforms.
The latest and most glaring instance of this was seen on September 20, 2025, when Alexander Duncan, a Republican Senate candidate from Texas, attacked Hinduism by calling Hanuman ji, one of the most revered deities in the Hindu pantheon, a “false god.” Duncan objected to the construction of a 90-foot statue of Hanuman ji at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, Texas, and declared that America is a “Christian nation.” In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Duncan shared a video of the statue and wrote:
“Why are we allowing a false statue of a false Hindu god to be here in Texas? We are a CHRISTIAN nation!”
Why are we allowing a false statue of a false Hindu God to be here in Texas? We are a CHRISTIAN nation!pic.twitter.com/uAPJegLie0
— Alexander Duncan (@AlexDuncanTX) September 20, 2025
To justify his remarks, Duncan went on to quote Biblical verses from Exodus 20:3-4 and Romans 1:2, essentially declaring that idol worship is sinful and unacceptable. His inflammatory post received over 43,000 likes, indicating the disturbing level of public approval such rhetoric now commands.
I'm just calling it what it is, an IDOL.
"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
"They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they… pic.twitter.com/xGz6oVgGUr
— Alexander Duncan (@AlexDuncanTX) September 22, 2025
This incident raises grave questions about the normalization of Hinduphobia in the US. If a Senate candidate can so openly denigrate an entire faith and still find widespread support, what message does this send to the two million-strong Hindu American community?
The Statue of Unity Under Attack
The statue Duncan attacked is not illegal or controversial by any legal standard. Installed inside the private premises of the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple, the statue was constructed with all the necessary approvals. The temple, a peaceful center of worship, has long been a symbol of the cultural and spiritual heritage of the Hindu diaspora in Texas.
Despite these facts, Duncan labeled the monument as an affront to his vision of a “Christian nation.” His language is deeply troubling. Today, he seeks to delegitimize Hindu religious symbols. Tomorrow, the same logic could be used to question the very presence of Hindus in America.
The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) strongly condemned Duncan’s statements, calling them “anti-Hindu and inflammatory.” The group formally reported his remarks to the Republican Party and demanded internal disciplinary action.
HAF pointedly asked the Texas GOP on X:
“Will you be disciplining your Senate candidate who openly contravenes your own guidelines against discrimination, not to mention disrespect for the 1st Amendment’s Establishment Clause?”
https://x.com/HinduAmerican/status/1970133747543740422
The American Constitution explicitly separates the church from the state and guarantees religious freedom. Nowhere does it declare the US to be a “Christian nation.” Duncan’s rhetoric, therefore, is not only bigoted but also unconstitutional.
A Pattern of Anti-Hindu Hatred
Duncan’s remarks are not an isolated incident. They reflect a broader pattern of institutionalized Hinduphobia that has been growing steadily in America, particularly among Christian supremacist and white nationalist groups.
Ever since the unveiling of the Hanuman statue, there has been a persistent campaign of vilification against it. Christian hardliners have labeled it “demonic” and described Hinduism as a “foreign cult.”
This pattern mirrors a long history of prejudice. As far back as 1910, The Detroit Times published a blatantly racist article titled “Hindoos Continue to Flock to the US,” describing Indians as “Oriental scum.” Over a century later, the rhetoric has changed little. In 2025, Hindus are still being vilified as outsiders whose beliefs are incompatible with “American values.”
From H1-B Debates to Religious Hatred
The anti-Hindu sentiment has also seeped into immigration debates. Earlier this year, when Indian-origin technologist Sriram Krishnan was appointed senior policy advisor for artificial intelligence at the White House, online attacks against him quickly turned from criticism of H1-B visas to outright Hindu hatred.
Donald Trump, who once courted Hindu voters and promised to protect their rights, has now capitulated to the anti-Indian and anti-Hindu faction within his MAGA base. Under pressure, his administration imposed a $100,000 fee on new H1-B visa petitions, a move celebrated by anti-immigration activists as a victory against “Indian job theft.”
This shows how economic anxieties are being weaponized into full-blown religious and racial hatred. The narrative has shifted from “Indians are taking our jobs” to “Hindus are taking over our country.”
Hypocrisy of Christian Supremacists
What makes Duncan’s remarks even more hypocritical is the double standard applied by American Christian supremacists.
In India, a Hindu-majority country, over 30,000 churches are operating freely. Hindus do not declare Jesus a “false god” or demand the removal of churches. Yet, in the US, a single statue of Hanuman ji is treated as a threat.
The same groups that celebrate aggressive missionary activities in India and other non-Christian nations cry “religious persecution” the moment their own exclusivist worldview is challenged. This hypocrisy exposes the political agenda behind Duncan’s rhetoric.
Targeting Brahmins and Inventing Caste Narratives
The attacks are not limited to statues or temples. There is a deliberate attempt to malign the Hindu community through the false narrative of caste discrimination.
In 2023, the California State Senate passed SB-403, a bill banning caste-based discrimination. Though later vetoed, it created a climate of suspicion toward Hindus, particularly Brahmins. Elite universities like Harvard and Brown have even added caste to their non-discrimination policies, despite no evidence of systemic caste-based discrimination in the US.
The notorious 2019 CISCO case, which accused Hindu engineers of caste discrimination, was eventually dismissed. Similarly, in 2021, the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in New Jersey was raided after accusations of forced labor and caste bias allegations that were later proven false.
These cases reveal a coordinated campaign to depict Hindu practices as inherently oppressive, while ignoring the diversity and complexity of the Hindu faith.
Temple Vandalism and Hate Crimes
Physical violence against Hindu symbols is also on the rise. In September 2024, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sacramento, California, was desecrated with anti-Hindu graffiti. A similar attack occurred just days earlier at a BAPS temple in Long Island, New York.
Traditionally, Khalistani extremists have been responsible for such acts. Now, Christian supremacists have joined the fray, targeting temples and statues.
According to recent reports, in California alone, 23.3% of religious hate calls in 2024 were tied to anti-Hindu incidents, second only to antisemitic hate calls.
The FBI’s 2020 data shows that hate crimes against Indian Americans have risen by 500% in recent years. While not all these crimes are explicitly religious, online hate against Hindus fuels real-world violence.
In July 2025, a video went viral showing a white American yelling at an Indian man:
“Why are you in my country? I don’t like you guys here. There are too many of you guys here. Americans are sick of this. Go back to India!”
Such open hostility reflects how quickly bigoted rhetoric can escalate from words to physical threats.
Parallels with Historical Genocides
History offers a chilling lesson: dehumanizing rhetoric often precedes genocides. Jews in Nazi Germany were not sent to concentration camps overnight. The process began with small, seemingly “harmless” acts—mockery, exclusion, vandalism that gradually escalated into systemic violence and, ultimately, the Holocaust.
Today, calls to “send back” Hindus or remove their idols may seem like mere political posturing. But these are the first steps on a dangerous path. If left unchecked, such hatred could evolve into organized persecution.
The Hindu community must take this threat seriously, as should the broader American society. Tolerance and religious freedom cannot be selective.
Time to Confront Hinduphobia
Alexander Duncan’s attack on Hanuman ji’s statue is not just about one politician’s bigotry. It is a reflection of a larger, systemic problem.
Hindus are among the most peaceful, law-abiding, and economically productive communities in America. They pay their taxes, contribute to innovation, and enrich American culture. Yet, they are being demonized by the same forces that claim to defend “religious freedom.”
The US cannot claim to be a beacon of liberty while allowing open hostility toward Hinduism. It is time for Hindu Americans, and all who value pluralism, to demand accountability from political leaders and media institutions alike.
If America does not confront Hinduphobia now, the consequences could be devastating not just for Hindus, but for the very ideals of freedom and equality that the nation claims to uphold.
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