Why did Zoho’s Sridhar Vembu and Laura Loomer clash over Tulsi Gabbard’s Bible verse?

Indian tech entrepreneur Sridhar Vembu confronted American far-right activist Laura Loomer on social media on Tuesday.

The incident erupted after United States intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard announced her resignation as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and later shared a Bible verse on X.

Loomer questioned Gabbard’s use of Christian scripture despite her well-known Hindu faith, while Vembu stepped in to defend both Gabbard and the broader idea of religious inclusivity rooted in Sanatana Dharma.

How did Tulsi Gabbard’s resignation spark the controversy?

The chain of events began on May 22, when Tulsi Gabbard announced that she would resign from her position as DNI, with her departure set to take effect on June 30, 2026.

Gabbard explained that the decision was driven by a serious personal situation involving her husband, Abraham Williams, who had recently been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer.

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According to reports, she communicated her resignation during a meeting at the White House before publicly sharing the news online.

In a post on X, Gabbard wrote, “I am deeply grateful for the trust President Trump placed in me and for the opportunity to lead @ODNIgov for the last year and a half. Unfortunately, I must submit my resignation, effective June 30, 2026. My husband, Abraham, has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer. He faces major challenges in the coming weeks and months. At this time, I must step away from public service to be by his side and fully support him through this battle.”

Following the announcement, Gabbard shared a Biblical message on social media.

While the post appeared to many as a personal reflection during a difficult family moment, it soon triggered criticism from Loomer, who argued that Gabbard was misrepresenting her religious identity.

Who are Vembu and Loomer?

Vembu is best known as the founder and chief executive of Zoho Corporation, a global software company valued in the multi-billion-dollar range.

Beyond his business profile, he has frequently spoken about rural development in India, decentralised economic growth, and the role of Sanatana Dharma in shaping ethical and socially inclusive thinking.

He is widely recognised for shifting portions of Zoho’s operations to villages and smaller towns instead of concentrating them in large urban technology hubs.

Loomer, on the other hand, is a far-right political activist and online commentator in the United States known for her aggressive political messaging and confrontational style on social media.

A vocal supporter of US President Donald Trump, she has built her public image around hardline nationalist positions and criticism of political figures she considers insufficiently aligned with conservative American or Christian values.

What exactly did Laura Loomer say about Tulsi Gabbard?

After Gabbard announced her resignation, Loomer publicly celebrated her exit from office before turning her attention to the Biblical verse shared by the former intelligence chief.

Loomer accused Gabbard of “pretending to be a Christian” despite being a practicing Hindu. She also posted screenshots from videos associated with Gabbard’s Hindu wedding ceremony in Hawaii to reinforce her argument.

“Tulsi is a lifelong Hindu. Yet nobody seems to know that. She should embrace it. This screenshot is from Tulsi Gabbard’s own YouTube channel,” Loomer wrote.

Some backed Loomer’s argument that politicians should clearly identify with a single faith tradition without blending religious references. Others criticised her comments as intolerant and unnecessary, especially given the personal circumstances surrounding Gabbard’s resignation.

The controversy also renewed attention on Gabbard’s long-standing public association with Hinduism. Throughout her political career, the former congresswoman has openly spoken about her Hindu faith while also referencing Christian teachings in speeches and social media posts.

How did Sridhar Vembu respond to the criticism?

Responding directly on X, Vembu argued that Loomer fundamentally misunderstood Hindu philosophy and the broader idea of spiritual inclusivity within Sanatana Dharma.

“Laura Loomer appears not to know this, but as a Hindu, the entire Universe, all of it, is the Divine. Going to a Church and praying to Jesus is perfectly fine and I have done it myself on many occasions,” Vembu wrote.

He continued by explaining that he frequently quotes the Bible and highlighted one Christian verse in particular as personally meaningful.

“I often quote the Bible and my favorite verse is Matthew 25:40 where Jesus says: 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' That is the call to service,” he added.

Rather than limiting his remarks to defending Gabbard alone, he expanded the argument into a wider reflection on the treatment of other faiths. “What would be a sin for me as a Hindu would be to call what other people hold sacred as ‘Demonic’, which unfortunately a Christian pastor recently did to Hindu deities,” he said.

Vembu concluded his remarks with a strong defence of Sanatana Dharma as a framework for tolerance and coexistence.

“That is why Sanatana Dharma is the most tolerant spiritual system in the world. The world needs to understand the eternal Dharma, if we all have to get along.”

With inputs from agencies