USA, January 7, 2012 (CNN): Republican presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman called it stupid. His rival Ron Paul denounced it. But perhaps most appalled by a “China Jon” ad on YouTube were Hindus in America. The ad also shows images of Huntsman with his two adopted daughters — one from China and the other, India. The Huntsmans adopted Indian daughter Asha Bharati from the western state of Gujarat in 2006. The ad asks: “Share our values? A man of faith?” as a photograph flashes of Huntsman with an infant Asha Bharati. Both are a wearing a red tikka, a mark associated with the sacred and often seen on foreheads at Hindu ceremonies and temples.
The Hindu American Foundation objected to the insinuations made in the video.
“This deplorable ad is blatantly racist and religiously intolerant, and crosses all lines of acceptable political discourse,” said Suhag Shukla, the foundation’s managing director and legal counsel. “Instead of vilifying Governor Huntsman, he should be applauded for being open-minded enough to raise his adopted daughter as a Hindu,” she said.
Huntsman, a Mormon, is raising Asha “to learn about and appreciate her native culture and the faiths associated with it,” his spokesman told CNN last summer.
“To attack a candidate’s family, particularly his young daughters, is completely unacceptable and should be denounced by all Americans,” said Samir Kalra, director of the Hindu American Foundation.