NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Bozeman, MT, October 17, 2025: Indian American politician and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy was confronted with a barrage of racially and religiously charged questions during a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event at Montana State University on Sunday, sparking a wider conversation about religious tolerance and representation in U.S. politics.
Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organization founded in 2012 by activist Charlie Kirk, is known for mobilizing college students around free-market, limited-government, and “America First” principles.
The event, part of TPUSA’s “This Is the Turning Point” tour, quickly made headlines after several audience members questioned Ramaswamy’s fitness to hold office on the basis of his Hindu faith and Indian heritage. One attendee asked pointedly, “If you are an Indian, a Hindu, coming from a different culture, different religion than those who founded this country… what are you conserving?” — a remark many critics described as Hinduphobic and xenophobic.
Another questioner asserted that “Jesus Christ is God, and there is no other God,” before asking how Ramaswamy could represent a state with a 64 percent Christian population. A third accused him of “masquerading as a Christian” to win political support, while others questioned whether his “polytheistic ideology” was compatible with American values.
Ramaswamy, who was born in Ohio to Indian immigrant parents, responded calmly and firmly. Emphasizing that the U.S. Constitution prohibits any religious test for public office, he had a student read aloud Article VI to underscore his point. “I’m not running to be pastor,” he told the crowd. “I’m running to be governor. My faith does not disqualify me from serving the people of this country.”
He also offered a brief explanation of his spiritual worldview, describing Vedanta Hinduism as a form of “ethical monotheism” and noting parallels with the Christian concept of the Trinity. “In our tradition, one God can manifest in many forms — just as the Trinity represents three forms of one God,” he said. That comparison drew both applause and criticism, with some Christian attendees accusing him of equating their beliefs with Hindu theology.
The backlash did not end at the event. Online, Ramaswamy became the target of further trolling. Nalin Haley, son of former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, mocked Ramaswamy’s appearance in the Montana event video and accused him of redefining “American values.” The exchange went viral, adding fuel to an already contentious debate within conservative circles.
Political observers say the incident reflects deeper tensions about race and religion in U.S. politics — particularly within conservative spaces. “Questions like these reveal that candidates from non-Christian, non-white backgrounds are still being asked to ‘prove’ their Americanness,” said one analyst. “It’s a reminder that the idea of who belongs in public life remains contested.”
This is not the first time Ramaswamy has faced such attacks. Earlier this year, social media posts about his family drew comments like “Go back to India,” and conservative commentator Ann Coulter publicly admitted she would not support him “because you’re an Indian.”
Despite the hostility, Ramaswamy appeared undeterred. “The strength of America lies in its ideals — not in the color of your skin or the name of your God,” he told the Montana audience. “That’s the America I believe in, and that’s the America I’m fighting for.”
