Religious freedom advocates demand apology as Republican official targets America’s third-tallest statue
Sugar Land, Texas | Tuesday, September 23, 2025, A Texas Republican leader, Alexander Duncan, has ignited widespread controversy by calling Lord Hanuman a “false god” and opposing the 90-foot statue known as the ‘Statue of Union’ in Sugar Land, Texas. The inflammatory comments, posted Tuesday on social media platform X, have sparked outrage across religious and political communities nationwide.
Duncan asserted that the United States is a Christian nation and questioned the need for such religious statues, specifically referring to the impressive Hindu monument as a “false statue of a false Hindu God.” The towering statue, which was unveiled in 2024, stands as America’s third tallest religious monument and has become a symbol of the growing Hindu-American community.
Immediate Backlash
His comments, which invoked Christian biblical references, were swiftly condemned by the Hindu American Foundation and numerous interfaith organizations. The Hindu American Foundation labelled Duncan’s remarks as blatantly anti-Hindu, while various civil rights groups characterized the statements as a direct attack on religious freedom.
American citizens from diverse backgrounds have strongly criticized Duncan’s position, with many pointing out the contradiction between his statements and America’s foundational principles. Social media users highlighted Hinduism’s historical significance, with one noting that “The Vedas were written almost 2000 years before Jesus walked the earth.”
As of Tuesday evening, Duncan has not issued any official statement addressing the mounting criticism or clarifying his controversial remarks.
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