Austin: A Republican leader from United States' Texas and MAGA (Make America Great Again) activist, Carlos Turcios, sparked a controversy with his remarks on a 90-foot statue of Lord Hanuman, known as the 'Statue of Union'. Turcios shared a video of the statue of Lord Hanuman at the Shri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, Texas, on social media.
In his X post, the Republican leader from the Dallas-Fort Worth area said that "aliens" from the "third world" are taking over Texas and America. He then questioned the existence of the Lord Hanuman statue in Texas.
"This is not Islamabad, Pakistan, or New Delhi, India. This is Sugar Land, Texas. Third World aliens are slowly taking over Texas and America. Why is the third-largest statue in the US this??! Stop the INVASION," he said.
Netizens' Reaction:
Turcios's remarks sparked online criticism. Some even pointed out that religious freedom in the US is not just freedom for Christians. Meanwhile, others highlighted the religious freedom enjoyed by Christians in India.
"Religious Freedom means EVERY religion... not just freedom for Christianity and no one else," an X user said.
"There are over 100K churches in India - some are pretty big - just saying," another X user commented.
"Get well soon. Hope you find peace," one of the X users wrote.
Similar Remarks By Another Republican Leader In September Last Year:
It is not the first time that a Republican leader made controversial remarks about the statue. In September last year, Texas Republican leader Alexander Duncan called Lord Hanuman a "false god". Duncan's remarks on the statue of Lord Hanuman in Sugar Land, Texas, drew flak from Hindus living in the United States.
In an X post, the Republican leader had written, "Why are we allowing a false statue of a false Hindu God to be here in Texas? We are a CHRISTIAN nation."
Condemning Duncan's remark, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) had called it "anti-Hindu and inflammatory". The HAF also asked the Republican Party to discipline its leader.
Unveiled in 2024, the 'Statue of Union' is a 90-foot statue of Lord Hanuman. It is located at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, Texas. It is the third-tallest statue in the United States.
