Indian American Democrat Pooja Sethi Challenges Ken Paxton Over Alleged Anti-Indian Remarks by Texas Republican

WASHINGTON– Indian American Democrat Pooja Sethi, a candidate for the Texas House of Representatives, has called on Republican U.S. Senate nominee Ken Paxton to condemn social media posts by fellow Republican Bo French that have drawn accusations of racism against Indian Americans.

Sethi accused Paxton, who also serves as Texas Attorney General, of remaining silent about French’s remarks while seeking support from the Indian American community ahead of Tuesday’s election.

“Waiting for @KenPaxtonTX to condemn Bo French’s bigoted attacks on Indian Americans. Or does that outrage disappear when he needs our votes?” Sethi wrote on X on Monday.

Sethi, the Democratic candidate for Texas House District 47 in Austin, made the remarks while sharing a post by X user Vasant Bhatt concerning an alleged visit by Paxton to the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Irving, Texas, on October 31.

Bhatt said sources had informed him of the visit, although he acknowledged that he was still seeking photographic confirmation.

“So you want to walk into our temples, kneel before our deities, and participate in our sacred worship when there’s an election to win, while simultaneously associating yourself with and endorsing people who are unabashed Hinduphobes and racists?” Bhatt wrote.

The controversy stems from a September 13 social media post by French, the Republican nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates the state’s oil and gas industry.

French shared a photograph showing University of Texas students, many of them of South Asian descent, celebrating a football victory.

“I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. I didn’t believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined,” French wrote.

The post generated widespread criticism and had accumulated more than 54 million views on X, according to figures cited by the platform.

Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, who is running against Paxton, subsequently challenged the Republican nominee to denounce French’s comments.

“@KenPaxtonTX: will you condemn this blatant racism or will you cower to extremists?” Talarico wrote on X.

Paxton responded with a statement condemning racism generally but did not specifically address French’s remarks.

“I condemn racism in all its forms, including James Talarico saying white men are America’s top terror threat and that he prays to overcome his own ‘whiteness,’ whatever that means,” Paxton wrote.

Sethi has continued to raise the controversy during the final days of her campaign, framing the election as an opportunity to confront discrimination and increase political representation for South Asian Americans in Texas.

“At a time when hate is on the rise, we have the opportunity to make history. We will not be intimidated. We will not be silenced. Hate has no home in Texas,” she wrote Sunday.

An attorney and former Chair of the Travis County Democratic Party, Sethi is seeking to become the first South Asian woman elected to the Texas Legislature.

Her campaign has emphasized the importance of political representation and opposing discrimination against immigrant and minority communities.

Paxton’s campaign had not immediately responded to Sethi’s latest criticism.

The dispute has emerged as Texas voters head to the polls Tuesday, with the controversy placing renewed attention on political rhetoric involving Indian Americans and the relationship between Republican candidates and the state’s growing South Asian community. (Source: IANS)