Congressman Krishnamoorthi denounces racist attack on Harmeet Dhillon for Sikh prayer at RNC

Washington: Indian American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has denounced the racist response to Republican National Committee woman Harmeet Dhillon's recital of Sikh prayer 'ardas' in the presence of the party's presidential nominee Donald Trump, and said it was "completely unacceptable".

Dhillon, a Republican Party leader and Civil Rights Attorney, recited the prayers at the four-day Republican National Convention that began last Monday. Delegates and officials had gathered at the event in Milwaukee to greet Trump like a hero for the first time since a gunman opened fire at the former president during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, grazing his ear.

Following her recital of 'ardas', Dhillon was trolled on social media and most of them appeared to be from her party's support base.

In a statement on Friday, Krishnamoorthi said, "The reprehensible and racist response to Republican National Committeewoman Harmeet Dhillon’s Sikh prayer on Monday night is completely unacceptable." Krishnamoorthi, a four-term Congressman from Illinois, is a Democrat.

"Discrimination on the basis of race or religion has no place in America and must be called out and strongly condemned by Democrats and Republicans alike when it occurs," he said.

The Congressman has been vocal in speaking against discrimination against Indian Americans, cutting across party lines.

At the Republican National Convention last Monday, Dhillon (55) said, "These last 48 hours have been some of the most intense, yet more prayerful of our lives, the heinous attack on President Trump and his supporters made all of us pause and seek answers in comfort."

A video by the California Republican Party, showed Dhillon saying at the Fiserv Forum, "I come from a family of Sikh immigrants, and I'm honoured to share with you, my fellow Republicans and guests tonight, a prayer from my faith and tradition practised by over 25 million worldwide."

"We recite the Ardas (Sikh prayer) before any new endeavour, giving thanks to God and asking for his protection and help to uphold the values of humility, truth, courage, service, and justice for all," she added.

"Dear Waheguru, our one true God, we thank you for creating America as a unique heaven on this Earth, where all people are free to worship according to their faith. We seek your blessings and guidance for our beloved country. Please bless our people with wisdom as they vote for the upcoming election and please bless with humility, honesty, skill and integrity all those who conduct the election," she had said after offering the 'ardas'.

News outlet Mother Jones reported that Dhillon's prayer "set off a firestorm in the far-right corners of Christian Twitter".

Andrew Torba, CEO of far-right social media platform Gab, ranted to his 4,00,000 followers on X, saying that "Christian nationalism must be exclusively and explicitly Christian".

Republican Oklahoma state Senator Dusty Deevers seemed to agree, the news outlet reported. "Christians in the Republican party nodding silently along to a prayer to a demon god is shameful," he posted.