A US conservative YouTuber has drawn backlash after calling for the removal of a 90-foot statue of Lord Hanuman in Texas, with his remarks coming ahead of the US midterm elections.
“I’m a U.S. Army combat veteran and a Hindu American. I didn’t put on that uniform, leave my family, and go to war so some third-rate talk-show guy could announce that when his side ‘wins,’ they’re coming for my religion,” he wrote in a post on X.
Concerns Over Targeting Hindu Places of Worship
In a recent statement, Bakshi emphasized that Hindu Americans are integral members of the same community and military that he served in. He argued that places of worship should not be attacked based on religious beliefs.
“The people who worship in those temples pay taxes, run businesses, and send their sons and daughters into the same Army I served in,” Bakshi noted. He criticized the notion that vandalizing religious sites could be seen as a form of patriotism, stating, “‘When we win, we are tearing this down’ is not patriotism. It is a threat against Hinduism itself to vandalize another American community’s house of worship because you hate the faith inside it.”
Bakshi further asserted that religious freedom must be extended to all faiths, including Hindus, and cautioned against using political victories as a rationale for targeting other religious communities.
