Twitter users want Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg to apologise for ‘offensive’ references to Hinduism in Parliament

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 28

Twitter users in Australia want Treasurer Josh Frydenberg to apologise for what they see has offensive references he made about the religion at a recent speech in Parliament.

While criticising the Opposition Labor’s idea of potentially pursuing a New Zealand-style “wellbeing budget”, Frydenberg said: “(Labor) are inspired by their spiritual leader, the member for Rankin (Jim Chalmers)”.

He said this while also making hand gestures commonly used during the practice of meditation.

He said: “I was thinking yesterday, as the member for Rankin… into the chamber fresh from his Ashram deep in the mountains of the Himalayas … barefoot into the chamber, robes flowing, incense burning, beads in one hand, wellbeing budget in the other, I thought to myself: ‘(what) yoga position the member for Rankin would assume … to deliver the first wellbeing budget?’”

A video footage of the speech shows Prime Minister Scott Morrison among senior Coalition figures laughing during the speech.

“Josh Frydenberg wouldn’t dare to do this with his own religion or Christianity or Islam. This is just everyday racism. It is not a joke,” said one user.

Josh Frydenberg wouldn’t dare to do this with his own religion or Christianity or Islam. This is just everyday racism. It is not a joke. https://t.co/9cOQA6tZvv

— Nayanika (@nayanikaaa) February 27, 2020

This is contemptible. The party that claims it stands for “religious freedoms” presents us with a fool of a Treasurer @JoshFrydenberg who thinks it’s “hilarious” to mock Hinduism, a religion far older than his own, about which he knows precisely nothing. #WorstGovtEver #auspol https://t.co/VjUOsnvBEM

— Rev Dr Stephanie Dowrick (@stephaniedowric) February 27, 2020

This is what Josh Frydenberg will be forever remembered for… #auspol https://t.co/M7SXrr9TCU

— Tony Lomas (@TonyLomas) February 27, 2020