Watch: US church group protests against 90-foot Hanuman statue
A group of 25 people from a local church in the United States has sparked controversy by protesting against a newly unveiled 90-foot bronze statue of Lord Hanuman. The protest took place at the Sri Ashtalakmi Temple in Sugar Land, approximately 35km from Houston. The church's leader, Greg Gervais, referred to Lord Hanuman as a "demon god" in a widely circulated Facebook video.
Protesters prayed, proselytized near statue
The protesters were initially assumed to be visitors interested in the statue due to its online popularity. However, their behavior soon raised suspicions as they began praying and walking in a counterclockwise direction around the statue, reports said. According to Dr. Ranganath Kandala, joint secretary of the temple, some protesters even approached temple visitors insisting that Jesus was the only true god.
Watch the viral video here
Temple leader confronts protesters
The situation escalated when some protesters were heard saying, "May all the false gods burn to the ground." In response to this, Kandala confronted them stating, "Our teachings say that worship your own, but respect all. I respect your God and you and I expect you to respect us." Some temple visitors also challenged the protesters about their knowledge of Hindu scriptures like Bhagavad Gita and Vedas, according to reports.
Gervais defends his congregation's actions
Despite the controversy, Gervais defended his congregation's actions. He asserted that they had visited the temple to pray peacefully but maintained their belief that Jesus is the only true god. "We do believe that Jesus is the only way, and that (the statue) is what you would call representative of a false idol which has spiritual implications. But that doesn't mean we're not peaceable with everyone," he said.
3rd tallest statue in US
The Lord Hanuman statue, constructed at a cost of $8 million and named the "Statue of Union," is now the third tallest statue in the US. It surpasses all other Hanuman statues outside India in height. The consecration ceremony was marked by a helicopter showering flowers on the statue and devotees chanting the names of Lord Ram and Hanuman, highlighting its cultural significance for Hindus.
