FBI Director Kash Patel’s Diwali message this year—“celebrating the Festival of Lights around the world, as good triumphs over evil”—was meant as a unifying, celebratory gesture. In any normal political climate, it would have passed without controversy. But 2025 is not normal, and the response from some corners of the public has exposed a troubling double standard in how religious intolerance is treated in the public sphere.
Happy Diwali – celebrating the Festival of Lights around the world, as good triumphs over evil. pic.twitter.com/Kj5cEl1Kzv
— Kash Patel (@Kash_Patel) October 20, 2025
Patel, a practicing Hindu and the son of Indian immigrants, was born in New York and has spent years in public service. His rise to FBI Director was historic. And yet, when he marked Diwali with a simple message of goodwill, it was met with a slur: “Go back home and worship your sand demons,” said Pastor Joel Webbon, a self-described Christian leader and founder of Right Response Ministries.
That’s not just inappropriate—it’s openly bigoted.
Go back home and worship your sand demons.
Get out of my country. https://t.co/20xEPWQtNt
— Joel Webbon (@rightresponsem) October 20, 2025
What’s striking is the official silence. While the federal government has, rightly, been quick to condemn Islamophobia in recent years, it has yet to develop any real framework or consistency in addressing Hinduphobia—despite its growing presence in public discourse and online spaces.
The contrast is hard to ignore. Over the last few years, any perceived slight against Islam, however mild or out-of-context, has triggered widespread government condemnation, agency-level response statements, and corporate solidarity campaigns. But when a Hindu public official is targeted with overt religious hate, there’s no press conference. No internal memo. No policy push.
That discrepancy is a problem.
Who is this Temu Matt Walsh and why is he on my feed?
— alaresurrected (@alaresurrected) October 20, 2025
To be clear, all religious bigotry should be treated seriously. Whether it’s directed at Muslims, Jews, Christians, Sikhs, or Hindus, public officials—especially those in the highest levels of government—should be protected from vile attacks based solely on their faith or heritage. And when someone like Patel, representing one of the most powerful law enforcement agencies in the world, is publicly told to “go back home” by a so-called pastor, it’s not just personal—it undermines institutional integrity.
Presidential Message on Diwali
“To every American celebrating Diwali, may this observance bring abiding serenity, prosperity, hope, and peace.” – @POTUS https://t.co/QoVAc7JEs9
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) October 20, 2025
Patel’s message focused on light, community, and the triumph of good over evil. The response from Webbon was steeped in ignorance and hate. And the lack of strong institutional pushback only reinforces the perception that not all faiths are treated equally in the eyes of the government or the media.
Diwali is one of the world’s largest and most culturally significant festivals. It deserves to be recognized without fear of backlash. And those who serve this country—regardless of their religion—deserve far better than silence in the face of open hostility.
