Sikh Republican Harmeet Dhillon Criticized for 'Ardas' at Party Event

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At the Republican National Convention, Sikh Republican leader Harmeet Dhillon faced a wave of backlash on social media after delivering the 'Ardas' prayer, a Sikh religious invocation. Her recitation of the prayer, which began in Gurmukhi and continued in English, was intended to pray for America, its voters, and to express gratitude for what she described as divine protection over Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from a past assassination attempt.

The event sparked a divisive reaction online, with some applauding it as a moment of cultural and religious diversity within a traditionally white, conservative, and Christian-dominated party. However, conservative Christian commentators and far-right activists criticized Dhillon sharply. One commentator tweeted, "ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE!! I have nothing but respect for Harmeet Dhillon but fire whoever invited her to pray to a foreign god, there is only one true God we pray to and his name is not whatever she said."

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Another commentator accused Dhillon of promoting paganism and described the Sikh prayer as "witchcraft," while others expressed disappointment over what they viewed as an inappropriate inclusion of non-Christian religious practices at a GOP convention.

Responding to the criticism, Dhillon, who is also a civil rights attorney, defended her actions, stating firmly, "There is only one God." She recounted feeling warmly received by the Republican audience at the event itself, noting that the atmosphere during her prayer was respectful and that she received positive interactions afterward, including hugs and photo requests.

Despite the online backlash, Dhillon's participation highlighted ongoing debates within the Republican Party about religious inclusion and diversity, reflecting broader societal discussions about the place of religious pluralism in American politics.