US Republican leader sparks outrage over Texas Hanuman statue, defends 'false god' remark
Texas: In Texas, U.S. Republican Senate candidate Alexander Duncan has ignited controversy after calling the 90-foot Lord Hanuman statue at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple a “false Hindu God.” In his original post, Duncan wrote: “Why are we allowing a false statue of a false Hindu God to be here in Texas? We are a CHRISTIAN nation!” The comment drew immediate backlash from Indian-American communities and the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), who condemned it as anti-Hindu and inflammatory.
Facing criticism, Duncan attempted to defend his remarks, claiming he was merely “asking a question” and not opposing Hinduism. He argued that Americans should question idol worship and emphasised that his post was consistent with his Christian beliefs. Duncan’s campaign manager echoed this, asserting that he had not advocated policies to restrict Hindu religious practices and that his free speech was protected under U.S. law.
The HAF rejected his defense, with director Suhag A Shukla responding: “You are not just asking questions, you are spreading hatred against Hinduism. The First Amendment already allows freedom of religion, yet you portray Hinduism as a ‘false tradition.’”
The Hanuman statue, North America’s tallest, has faced criticism from some U.S. conservatives who labelled it “foreign” or “demonic.” Mainstream media coverage, including Newsweek, has also been criticised by Hindu groups for insensitivity.
This controversy comes amid broader concerns about religious intolerance and discriminatory rhetoric affecting Indian-Americans, a key voter demographic in U.S. elections. Analysts say such incidents could influence the community’s traditional political leanings, highlighting the delicate balance between free speech and respect for cultural diversity.
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We will move court again to resist voter deletions: Mamata
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hit out at the BJP and the Election Commission over voter deletions during the SIR exercise and said her party will move a court again to resist the removal of electors from the rolls.
Her comments came after nearly 91 lakh voters' names were deleted from the electoral rolls following the completion of the Special Intensive Revision in the state.
“You will not be able to defeat the TMC by deleting names. We will move a court again to resist the exclusion of names," Banerjee said while attacking her principal challenger BJP over the roll revision exercise.
Banerjee had in February argued in the Supreme Court as she sought an intervention in the SIR process.
The EC figures, which pushed the total deletion to over 90.83 lakh names from the original voter base of 7.66 crore in October 2025, showed that the proportion of removal of electors now remains at over 11.85 per cent.
Criticising the poll panel over the SIR process, she also said, "We will fight legally to get the names included on the list as per the Constitution. If people cannot cast their votes, what is the need to frame the tribunal? And then you are saying that the list has been frozen. What is this? We will challenge it and try to understand it."
Addressing a poll rally at Arambagh in Hooghly district, the TMC supremo accused the saffron party of trying to manipulate the electoral rolls and offering money to woo voters.
Banerjee also charged the Election Commission with intimidating people over the phone.
“It (EC) is working at the behest of the BJP. It is calling people over the telephone to threaten and intimidate them,” she claimed.
Later, while speaking at a rally in Balagarh in the same district, Banerjee warned that voting for the BJP would effectively mean "giving up fish, meat, and speaking in Bengali".
“People are not allowed to eat eggs, fish, or meat in the BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra. The same will happen here if the BJP comes to power," Banerjee claimed.
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