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SAFA and Sikh lawmakers condemn Miller’s racist post
The demands for apology are growing as Rep. Mary Miller maintains silence on her post last week about Sikh prayer in the House of Representatives.
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Jeffin T. Kaleekal - Mon, 09, Jun 2025
- 02:17 EDT
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Giani Surinder Singh offering prayer in the House of Representatives / X/Congressman Adam Gray
South Asians for America (SAFA) has condemned the remarks made by Rep. Mary Miller about Giani Surinder Singh delivering the opening prayer in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In the post that was quickly deleted, Rep. Miller had misidentified Singh as a Muslim and called it “deeply troubling that a Muslim was allowed to lead prayer in the House of Representatives”.
In the June 6 post, she added, “This should never have been allowed to happen. America was founded as a Christian nation, and I believe our government should reflect that truth, not drift further from it. May God have mercy!”.
ALSO READ: Sikh Coalition demands apology from Rep. Miller for bigotry comments
Rep. Miller initially edited her post and corrected her misidentification of Singh before deleting the post altogether.
SAFA labeled Rep. Miller’s remarks as “racist and xenophobic” and said that, “these comments are a stark reminder of the persistent intolerance and ignorance that continues to pervade parts of our political system”.
A Statement From SAFA: Regarding the recent remarks directed at Sikh leader Giani Surinder Singh pic.twitter.com/g6N4rrckP7
— South Asians for America (@SAforAmerica) June 7, 2025
Expressing solidarity with the Sikh community, SAFA added, “attempts to belittle that diversity are not just bigoted- they are un-American”.
Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Justice, reacted sharply to the misidentification and said, “This is a Sikh. Please try to educate yourself. There are over half a million Sikhs in America.”
This is a Sikh. Please try to educate yourself. There are over half a million Sikhs in America. https://t.co/ELuQvEZEzF
— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@HarmeetKDhillon) June 6, 2025
Hoboken Mayor Ravinder S. Bhalla also responded to the troubling comments and stressed upon the foundational principles of the country. He said, “while it’s very troubling that this Member of the House takes issues with our country’s founding principles, what’s much more troubling is the permission structure that allows these words of bigotry to go unchecked.”
Bhalla also pointed out the country’s long standing history of acceptance and added, “People of all faiths have always offered a prayer on the floor of the US House of Representatives throughout our history. That’s the American way, and consistent with an elected officials’ oath to serve and protect the US Constitution.”
People of all faiths have always offered a prayer on the floor of the US House of Representatives throughout our history. That’s the American way, and consistent with an elected officials’ oath to serve and protect the US Constitution.
— Ravinder S. Bhalla (@RaviBhalla) June 6, 2025
While it’s very troubling that this Member… pic.twitter.com/5yf8SuD4YO
JJ Singh, delegate for Virginia’s House of Delegates, went a step further and invited Rep. Miller to a gurudwara. He said, “I invite you to a Sikh gurudwara here in Virginia, just across the Potomac from DC”.
.@RepMaryMiller , I invite you to a Sikh gurudwara here in Virginia, just across the Potomac from DC. I have great respect for the Christian faith and imagine that we share a lot of values. We welcome you, and all. pic.twitter.com/kuCRYv77Qx
— Delegate JJ Singh (@SinghforVA) June 6, 2025
In spite of severe criticism and repeated demands for an apology from numerous quarters, Rep. Miller or her office has not clarified her comments and has not issued a formal apology.
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