VHPA Statement on Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, Texas. The “Statue of Union”

Hindu Mandir Empowerment Council (HMEC) and American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD, part of the HinduPACT family) strongly condemn the recent denigration and offensive remarks made against the 90-foot statue of Hanuman, a revered Hindu deity installed at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, Texas. The “Statue of Union” symbolizes unity, devotion, and cultural pride for hundreds of millions of Hindus worldwide.

Bigotry and Hate have no place in the United States of America; we invite the opponents of the Hanumanji’s statue to learn what devotion and service are.

Tejal Shah, Jt. General Secretary of VHPA and Convenor of HMEC said:

Sri Hanumanji Maharaj manifests Power, Intellect, and Knowledge. His life story perfectly exemplifies Service for Humanity, Devotion, and Shradhha (faith) for his master, Bhagavan Sri Ram. Calling him “half monkey and half man” is the highest level of insult to the Hindu Faith. HMEC, representing 1100 Mandirs across the USA, asks for apologies from those spewing hate. We urge Hindu temples to increase their community education efforts to ensure that non-Hindus understand the positiveness of Hindu dharma and its deities. We stand in solidarity with the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple and the Hindu community in Texas, who have faced unwarranted criticism for their lawful and peaceful religious expression. The temple, and others like it across the country, serve as centers for spiritual growth, community service, and cultural preservation. They are places of worship and should be treated with the same respect afforded to any other religious institution.

Ajay Shah, President of VHPA and Convenor of AHAD, said:

It is disheartening to witness such intolerant and disrespectful rhetoric in a country that prides itself on diversity and freedom of religion. Calling the Hanuman murti (statue) “demonic” reflects pure hatred towards Hindus and the practice of Hindu dharma. As an organization committed to advocating for the rights and dignity of Hindus in America, we will continue to challenge any form of bigotry or intolerance directed toward our community. We encourage everyone to learn more about the Hindu dharma and to engage in meaningful conversations that promote mutual respect and understanding.

Amitabh Mittal, General Secretary of VHPA, said:

Bigotry and Hate have no place in the United States of America; we invite the opponents of the Hanumanji’s statue to learn what devotion and service are.

Shyam Tiwari, VHPA Spokesperson, said:

Bigoted reactions of a few on the statue of Lord Hanuman prove time and again how Hinduphobia mixed with xenophobia is very real and presents a danger to Hindus. My appeal to the government is to remain vigilant and ensure the religious freedom of Hindus is upheld and protected.

About VHPA

World Hindu Council of America (VHPA) is the USA’s most prominent organization of Hindus. Founded in 1970, it has chapters across the country. VHPA runs educational programs for Hindu children and youth in addition to community service (Seva) activities and initiatives such as the Hindu Mandir Empowerment Council (HMEC), Hindu Women’s’ Network, American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD), Hindu Policy Research and Advocacy Collective USA (HinduPACT).

About HMEC

The Hindu Mandir Empowerment Council (HMEC) is a VHPA initiative. HMEC partners with over 1100 temples in the US. HMEC project, the Hindu Mandir Priests’ Conference (HMPC), provides a forum for Hindu priests in the US. HMEC empowers temples to be community centers, provides networking opportunities for temple executives, priests, and volunteers, and creates and distributes educational material related to Hindu dharma. Earlier this year, HMEC was instrumental in organizing Shree Ram Mandir consecration-related activities across the US, including a 26,000-mile journey to visit over 800 temples across the US.

About AHAD

American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD) is the first and the most prominent Hindu organization against defamation in the USA. An initiative of the World Hindu Council of America (VHPA), AHAD has been actively monitoring mass media, products, public places, etc., to ensure respectful and accurate representation of Hindu dharma, culture, images, and icons. Since 1997, hundreds of thousands of Hindus have participated in various advocacy activities led by AHAD. AHAD is now part of HinduPACT (Hindu Policy Research and Advocacy family).