Tulsi Gabbard, American politician and a practicing Hindu, took to Twitter to express how the first episode of CNN’s Believer with Reza Aslan found “sensationalist and absurd ways to represent Hinduism”.

The series premiered on Sunday, 5 March. In the episode, Aslan explores the facts and myths behind the Aghori, a mystical Hindu sect, known for extreme rituals.

After the episode was aired, many Indian-Americans have expressed their displeasure at the show’s depiction of Hinduism.