Sikh Republican leader Harmeet Dhillon recites 'Ardas' at RNC, faces backlash from Christian conservatives

PTC Web Desk: Sikh Republican leader Harmeet Dhillon made headlines at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday by reciting 'Ardas,' a traditional Sikh prayer. This moment was celebrated by many as a significant act of cultural and religious representation within a party often perceived as predominantly white, conservative, and Christian.

Harmeet Dhillon began by reciting the opening part of the 'Ardas' in Gurmukhi, before transitioning to English to pray for America, the American voters, and to thank God for protecting Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from an attempted assassination.

Despite the positive reception from some quarters, she faced criticism from a segment of the public who considered the prayer "anti-Christian" and "blasphemous." Christian fundamentalists and ultra-conservatives took to social media to voice their displeasure, some accusing her of being a pagan and describing the Sikh blessing as "witchcraft."

You can worship freely, but you should not promote your non-Christian religion at the GOP convention,” said one X user.

Another X user said reciting a Sikh prayer at the RNC was “embarrassing.”

“America is a Christian country. We literally had an excellent Christian prayer before this that mentioned Jesus Christ. This was unnecessary, performative, and blasphemous,” X user Connor Mahoney tweeted.

Unfazed by the backlash, Sikh Republican leader Harmeet Dhillon, a civil rights attorney, addressed her critics on social media. She tweeted, “Blocking quite a few people...” in response to the negative comments.

When a social media user named Behizy criticised her for declaring her god to be the "one true God" on a stage full of Christians, she sharply replied, "There is only one God."

Despite the online negativity, Dhillon felt a warm reception from the Republican audience during the event. Speaking to the New York Post, she described the atmosphere as respectful and supportive. “It was silent. People bowed their heads. It was very respectful,” she said. “And when I left the stage, I was hugged and people took selfies with me. Not a single word of criticism inside the room.”

She emphasised that while the voices of haters could be amplified online, the majority of mainstream Republicans responded positively to her prayer. “Overall, while the voices of haters can be amplified artificially online, I would say the vast majority of the response to my prayer by mainstream Republicans has been positive, and I’m grateful for that.”