The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) has taken strong exception to US Vice President JD Vance’s recent remarks about his wife, Usha Vance, her Hindu background, and the possibility of her converting to Christianity. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the group asked Vance why, if his wife had inspired him to reconnect with his Christian faith, he hadn’t shown the same curiosity toward Hinduism. 

This comes after Vance clarified that his words were being misinterpreted and that he wasn’t imposing anything on his wife, who has no plans to convert.

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‘Hinduism doesn’t seek to convert’

“With respect, @JDVance, if your wife encouraged you to re-engage with your faith, why not reciprocate that and engage with Hinduism too?” the foundation wrote in a post on X, explaining that Hinduism, unlike many other faiths, does not seek to convert others. “Hinduism is inherently inclusive and pluralistic in this way,” the post added. “We embrace the idea that there are multiple ways of conceiving the Divine.”

The HAF post also criticised  “a compulsion from some religious communities to convert us to another way of thinking,” saying such behaviour goes beyond respectful dialogue. The group cited a long history of  denigrating Hindu beliefs and attempting conversions “through sometimes unethical means.”

“In recent months, we’ve seen an outpouring of anti-Hindu sentiment online, often coming from explicitly Christian sources,” HAF wrote. The organisation said such attitudes show “a belief that there is only one true path to salvation — a concept that Hinduism simply doesn’t have.”

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The foundation concluded its message by urging Vance to acknowledge Hinduism’s positive role and the rights of Hindus to freely practice their faith in the United States. “You are the Vice President,” the post read. “It’s more than reasonable (and well within precedent) for a Christian public figure such as yourself to acknowledge the positive impact of Hinduism on Hindus and the rights of Hindus to practice.”

The post came after JD Vance’s appearance at a Turning Point USA event, where he was questioned about his interfaith marriage and views on immigration. Responding, Vance said that his wife grew up in a Hindu family “but not a particularly religious one.” He said that when they first met, both he and Usha were either agnostic or atheist.

He explained that after rediscovering his Christian faith, the couple agreed to raise their three children in that faith and send them to a Christian school. “As I’ve told her, I’ve said publicly, and I’ll say now… do I hope, eventually, that she is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved in by church? Yeah, I honestly do wish that because I believe in the Christian gospel, and I hope eventually, my wife comes to see it the same way,” he said.

JD Vance says wife Usha has ‘no plans to convert’

On Sunday, Vance took to X to clarify his earlier remarks, saying his words had been misinterpreted and said the backlash he received  was “anti-Christian bigotry.” “Yes, Christians have beliefs,” he wrote. “And yes, one of those beliefs is that we want to share them with others. That’s a completely normal thing.”

“What a disgusting comment, and it’s hardly been the only one along these lines,” he wrote, responding to the online outrage. “First off, the question was from a person seemingly to my left, about my interfaith marriage. I’m a public figure, and people are curious, and I wasn’t going to avoid the question.”

Vance said he was simply expressing his faith, not imposing it. “My wife is the most amazing blessing I have in my life,” he said, adding that she had played a key role in helping him rediscover his faith. He continued, “She herself encouraged me to re-engage with my faith many years ago. She is not a Christian and has no plans to convert, but like many people in an interfaith marriage, I hope she may one day see things as I do.”