20 hours ago
US Vice President JD Vance on Friday defended his remarks about Usha Vance's Hindu faith, saying she is "not a Christian and has no plans to convert," while rejecting criticism that he had "thrown her religion under the bus in public".
US Vice President JD Vance and his family at Delhi's Akshardham Temple.
New Delhi,UPDATED: Nov 1, 2025 13:56 IST
The Hindu American Foundation has slammed Vice President JD Vance's remarks that he wished for his wife Usha Vance, who is a Hindu by faith, to convert to Christianity, despite the Republican leader later clarifying his statement.
Vance on Friday defended his remarks about Usha Vance's Hindu faith, saying she is "not a Christian and has no plans to convert," while rejecting criticism that he had "thrown her religion under the bus in public".
"With respect @JDVance, if your wife encouraged you to re-engage with your faith, why not reciprocate that and engage with Hinduism too? If you did, you may well learn that Hinduism doesn't share the need to wish your spouse comes around to see things as you do in terms of religion," the Hindu American Foundation wrote on X.
The group flagged Vance about the history of Christians denigrating Hindus and attempting to convert them through unethical means at times. It also said there was an outpouring of anti-Hindu sentiment online, "often coming from explicitly Christian sources".
"Hinduism is inherently inclusive and pluralistic in this way. We do not seek to convert anyone. We embrace the idea that there are multiple ways of conceiving of the Divine. Yet, there remains a compulsion, from some religious communities, to convert us to another way of thinking, that goes beyond mere dialog and sharing of differing opinions," it said.
The foundation advised Vance to "acknowledge the positive impact of Hinduism on Hindus and the rights of Hindus to practice".
- Ends
Published By:
Prateek Chakraborty
Published On:
Nov 1, 2025
