NEW DELHI: In a historic first, the session of the US House of Representatives began with a Sikh prayer. Prior to commencing the session on Friday (local time), a Sikh granthi led the assembly in prayer.
“Today we are here for a very historic event. Today for the first time ever in the history of US Congress, the House session started with a Sikh prayer. Giani Jaswinder Singh offered the prayer. So, this is a very, very happy occasion for the Sikh community, for the whole global Sikh community…” the media spokesman of Sikh Coordination Committee East Coast Harjinder Singh said.
During the prayer, they invoked blessings for the members of Congress, who work to safeguard the principles of the free world and the well-being of all Americans. The prayer extended to encompass all of humanity, emphasizing the universal message of Sikhism.
On the same day, Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar launched a Congressional Caucus dedicated to safeguarding the interests of Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Jains residing in the United States. This bipartisan Caucus aims to bridge cultural gaps, foster interfaith dialogue, and promote harmony among these communities. It also supports initiatives to enhance the well-being, education, and empowerment of Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Jain Americans.
The Caucus has garnered support from over 27 US lawmakers, spanning both Republican and Democratic parties.
Speaking at the event in Washington DC, Shri Thanedar emphasized the importance of the Caucus’s mission. “We prayed for the members of this Congress who are working for the protection of the free world and all the Americans over here. We wish and pray for the whole of humanity as one race. So this was the message that was given. And so that’s really the universal message of Sikhism” he said.
Shri Thanedar, underscoring his own diverse background as an Indian-American Congressman and said, “My name is Shri Thanedar and I am a proof of America’s diversity in Congress,” he added. The US Congressman further said that the launch of the Caucus is a commitment to stand against religious discrimination, and cultivate a nation where diversity is not just “tolerated, but celebrated”.
These developments unfold amid a diplomatic dispute between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.





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