New York, Aug 25 (IANS): Conservative pundit and author Ann Coulter has been slammed for making racist comments targeting Indian-American presidential aspirants Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy, calling their clash during the Republican primary debate a "Hindu business".
"Nikki and Vivek are involved in some Hindu business, it seems. Not our fight," Coulter wrote on X, formerly Twitter, a day after Haley and Ramaswamy sparred over foreign policy and US aid to Ukraine and Israel.
Responding to Coulter's tweet, Ramaswamy’s senior adviser and communications director, Tricia McLaughlin, told NBC News: "Ann can tweet whatever she wants to. Vivek shares and lives by the same Judeo-Christian values that this nation was founded on -- and the way Vivek lives his family life offers a positive example for their own children and grandchildren."
Ramaswamy is the nation’s second Hindu presidential candidate after former Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard who ran as a Democrat in 2020.
Haley, born Nimrata 'Nikki' Randhawa, was raised by Sikh parents and she later converted to Christianity.
From calling her a "racist troglodyte" and "bigot" to an "ignorant megaphone" and "horse face", Coulter faced social media ire for her racist jibe against the two Indian-Americans.
"News for you @AnnCoulter. @VivekGRamaswamy and @NikkiHaley are the next generation of @GOP leaders. American Hindus are leaders in science, technology, medicine and policy research. Take it easy, read the Bhagavat Gita and take the batteries out of your ignorant megaphone," HinduAction, a US-based advocacy group wrote on X in response to Coulter's tweet.
"Completely expected that she would attack them but using a white racist trope invoking a religion is beyond disgusting," Sangay Mishra, author of 'Desis Divided: The Political Lives of South Asian Americans', wrote on X.
Coulter has also attacked Haley in the past, calling her a "bimbo" and "preposterous creature", asking her to "go back to her own country".
"Why don't you go back to your own country?" Coulter had said in a podcast after Haley announced her presidential bid on February 14 in a video message where she proudly talked about her Indian heritage.
"Her candidacy did remind me that I need to immigrate to India so I can demand they start taking down parts of their history," the author had said making an appearance on the 'The Mark Simone Show' podcast.
Coutler's rants did not stop at just Haley, she targeted India as well.
"What's with the worshipping of the cows? They're all starving over there. Did you know they have a rat temple, where they worship rats?" she said.
In July, Hank Kunneman, the senior pastor of the non-denominational Lord of Hosts Church in Nebraska, targeted Ramaswamy's Hindu faith in a recent sermon asking citizens not to vote for him.
The televangelist had said that Ramaswamy is Hindu and therefore anyone who supports him "will have a fight with God".