Will US accept Hindu president? Ramaswamy answers critical question and says 'won't fake identity'

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's response on being asked if the United States will accept a president of a different faith during the CNN town hall has taken the internet by storm.

Gunny Mitchell, an Iowa voter, questioned him asking, "How do you respond to those who assert that you cannot be our president because your religion does not align with what our founding fathers based our country on?"

To this, Ramaswamy responded by saying he was not a "fake convert" and that he would not lie to map out his political career. He then went on to add that both faiths, Hinduism and Christianity "share the same value set in common".

"I am a Hindu, and if I wanted to map out my political career and really solve for know, I could fake convert. I'm not going to do that. I'm going to tell you about my faith," he said.

"My upbringing was quite conventional. My parents taught me that marriages are sacred, families are the cornerstone of society, abstinence before marriage is a viable option when things don't work out, adultery is wrong. that enjoying life's pleasures requires giving something up. Are those values not from elsewhere?" Ramaswamy added.

Further highlighting the values of the Hindu faith, Ramaswamy underlined that there is only one true God and that he lives within each one of us.

"There's one true God. Don't take his name in vain. Observe the Sabbath. Respect your parents. Don't kill. Don't lie. Don't cheat, don't steal. Don't commit adultery. Don't covet. That's when it hit me. We share the same value set in common. There's another core teaching in my faith, which is that we don't get to choose who God works through. God chooses who God works through," the US presidential candidate said.

He added, "Based on my religious beliefs, I understand that every person is here for a reason and it is our moral obligation to fulfil that reason because God lives within each of us, even though God works through us in various ways, we are all equal."

Ramaswamy reiterates call to ban birthright citizenship

During the Townhall, Ramaswamy again echoed his call to put a ban on birthright citizenship for illegal immigrants stating that the country should not reward the one "who violate the law".

"I say this as the kid of legal immigrants: I favour ending birthright citizenship for those whose parents entered the country *illegally* because we shouldn't reward those who violate the law with the intent of exploiting the citizenship rules. The best border policy is to end incentives for illegal migrants to be here. Democrats created them but Republicans aren't blameless either," he said.

The Indian-origin US presidential candidate announced his election bid earlier this year.

(With inputs from agencies)