E-Paper
Attacking Vivek Ramaswamy's Hindu faith: Rajiv Malhotra accuses Princeton professor of ‘blatant bigotry’
Several Indian American X users earlier called out journalist Kara Swisher for making fun of Ramaswamy’s name.
Since the first GOP Debate, Vivek Ramaswamy has become the talk of town and definitely become one of the most hyped-up Republican candidates. It perhaps helped that he is being endorsed by several Trump allies as a counter to DeSantis, what’s interesting to note that several commentators have also called out what they consider “Hinduphobic” attacks against Vivek Ramaswamy.
Several Indian American X users earlier called out journalist Kara Swisher for making fun of Ramaswamy’s name which they felt was also mocking the Hindu deity Lord Rama.
In the same vein, Rajiv Malhotra, author of Snakes in the Ganga accused Professor Kevin M. Ruse of Princeton University of “Hinduphobia” when he wrote that Trump will casually refer to him as “Rama-swarmy”.
Kruse wrote on X: “What's funny is that Vivek is going to campaign with furious Debate Bro energy for six nonstop months and then Trump will casually refer to him as "Rama-smarmy, or whatever" and he'll immediately turn to dust.”
Reacting to the replies, he added: “The replies are making a strong case for "Rama-lama-ding-dong" and I have to agree that's more Trumpian.”
This led to a strong rebuttal from Malhotra who wrote: “Shame on Princeton Univ professor @KevinMKruse for such blatant bigotry. Attacking @VivekGRamaswamy’s Hindu faith. Under the slightest stress the mask of ethics comes off. If someone said this of Islam they would be fired by now! Disgraceful double standards.”
He added after getting blocked: “The cowardly prof cancelled me after he got exposed! So much for free exchange of ideas!”
Later, Kruse tweeted: “I’d like to thank @RajivMessage for all the death threats his followers are now sending my way.”
Earlier, Hank Kunneman, a pro-Trump pastor, spent a large part of a sermon attacking Ramaswamy’s faith. He had said: “If he does not serve the Lord Jesus Christ you will have a fight with God. What are we doing? You’re gonna have some dude put his hand on something other than the Bible? You’re going to let him put all of his strange gods up in the White House?”
In the past, several users had called out Kara Swisher for mocking Ramaswamy’s name. One had written: “The same liberal White woman would call anyone having fun with Obama's name Islamophobic and Racist.”
Incidentally, Ramaswamy has never denied his Hindu faith even going as far as saying that he’s not “running for pastor-in-chief” but commander-in-chief. He claims that the “real divide” isn’t between those of Hindu, Christian or Jewish faith” but between those who believe in “one true God” and “those who have replaced the vacuum with new religions like “wokeism, transgenderism, climateism and COVIDism”.
