Bhojani, Eid, and a New Temple for North Texas

Two stories are shaping the contours of Muslim and Hindu life in North Texas in 2026: a political confrontation over the cancellation of an Eid celebration at a Grand Prairie water park, and the announcement of a new center of worship and culture for the region's Hindu and Buddhist communities. Together they reflect the growing visibility of South Asian communities across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex — and the challenges and opportunities that come with that visibility. At the center of the first story is Texas State Representative Salman Bhojani, a Pakistani-American lawmaker whose House District 92 covers parts of Euless, Hurst, and surrounding communities in northeastern Tarrant County. Bhojani publicly accused Governor Greg Abbott of Islamophobia after a Muslim Eid celebration scheduled at a Grand Prairie water park was canceled, an event that had been organized for the region's Muslim families. The second story carries a different tone: a planned center designed to serve Hindu and Buddhist families across North Texas, representing the kind of community infrastructure that signals a diaspora putting down lasting roots in a region that has become one of the most diverse in th

🗳️ Bhojani Accuses Abbott of Islamophobia Over Eid Cancellation

Texas state Representative Salman Bhojani, who represents House District 92 in the Euless-Hurst-Bedford corridor of northeastern Tarrant County, publicly accused Governor Greg Abbott of Islamophobia after a Muslim Eid celebration event at a Grand Prairie water park was canceled. Bhojani, a Pakistani-American and one of Texas's most prominent Muslim elected officials, stated that the cancellation reflected a pattern of hostility toward Muslim communities under the Abbott administration. The event had been organized for Muslim families across the Dallas-Fort Worth area to gather and celebrate Eid at a public water park facility. Abbott and his allies disputed that framing, with supporters arguing that public facilities should not host what they characterized as religiously exclusive events. The New York Post covered the story with a critical lens, focusing on background details related to the event's organizer. Bhojani's charge of Islamophobia resonated within Texas's South Asian and Muslim communities, which have grown increasingly organized and politically active in recent years. Advocacy organizations across the state were monitoring the dispute closely. Bhojani has been a consistent voice in the Texas House on behalf of immigrant, Muslim, and minority communities throughout the DFW region, regularly challenging state policies he characterizes as discriminatory. The episode contributed to broader ongoing tensions between Muslim communities and state leadership in Texas. [2]

🪔 Hindu and Buddhist Center Planned for North Texas

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on plans for a new center of worship and culture serving the Hindu and Buddhist communities of North Texas, a significant development for the region's growing South and East Asian diaspora. The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex has seen sustained growth in its South Asian population over the past two decades, with concentrations emerging in communities across the region including in the cities of northeastern Tarrant County such as the Hurst-Euless-Bedford area. A dedicated Hindu and Buddhist center would address a recognized need for purpose-built community infrastructure for these traditions in the region. Beyond their function as places of religious practice, such centers typically serve as cultural anchors for diaspora communities — hosting classical arts and music programming, language instruction for younger generations, celebrations tied to the Hindu and Buddhist religious calendars, and civic gatherings that help families maintain cultural continuity while building roots in Texas. The announcement reflects confidence that the Hindu and Buddhist communities of North Texas have the scale and commitment to invest in generational infrastructure. For families in the Hurst area and across the DFW metroplex, the planned center represents more than a building: it is a statement of permanence, an institutional investment in preserving culture and faith for the generations of South Asian Americans who are growing up in this region. [7]

Sources: [2] CBS News · [7] Fort Worth Star-Telegram