Dhairya Gupta, a student at the University of Texas, Austin, and an American citizen, voiced confusion over remarks made online by political candidate Bo French.
French, the Republican running for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates the state’s oil and gas industry, on Sept. 13 posted racist comments on X along with an image of South Asian students celebrating a Longhorns win.
“I heard UT graduation this year looked like this,” he wrote. “I didn’t believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined.”
The digital reaction progressed swiftly across different platforms, drawing both widespread condemnation from high-profile figures and a wave of racially charged commentary from online users.
READ: Raja Krishnamoorthi condemns Bo French’s UT remarks (September 14, 2026)
Addressing the controversy, Gupta emphasized that external appearances provide zero basis for judging a person’s background or nationality.
“I’m honestly not quite sure what he’s even getting at. You know, knowing that we are Americans. So, even if you were to say we need to prioritize Americans in any way — like, looking at that picture, you can’t tell if someone’s American or not,” Gupta told CNN.
He noted that the spirit of unity is what matters most at an American football game. “At the end of the day, we’re all at the same school and we’re all Texans. We’re all Americans — watching the game and having fun,” Gupta added.
The incident sparked a broader conversation regarding campus demographics and political rhetoric across the state, even as the candidate doubled down on his initial stance.
This latest uproar follows a history of controversial remarks from French, which have frequently drawn private or public rebukes from fellow party members even as they maintained endorsements.
While the formal citizenship statuses of everyone in the frame remain unverified, Gupta confirmed to local media that he is a naturalized U.S. citizen.
Peers quickly rallied against the framing of the event with Arsheeya Moyeen, a sophomore at the university, stressing that the photograph was severely distorted.
READ: Indian American lawmakers urge diaspora to fight anti-India hate (July 26, 2026)
“If you were at the game, you know that picture is taken extremely out of context,” Moyeen remarked. “I’m gonna be completely candid. I think, as a politician, as somebody in the public eye, to take something like that out of context and manipulate it to fit your agenda and your views on a certain race is extremely unprofessional.”
Leadership stepped in shortly after the digital backlash began defending their students. Kevin Eltife, chairman of the UT System Board of Regents, issued an online statement commending the student body.
“When I stood on the sidelines at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium Saturday night and looked up at the seats filled with incredible fans, I saw Longhorns,” Eltife stated, reflecting on his time on campus and at graduation ceremonies. “I’m proud to celebrate all our Longhorn students today and every day.”
For Gupta and his peers, however, the primary focus remains rooted in campus unity and shared community spirit rather than online division.