WASHINGTON DC: One year after the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the U.S.-based human rights advocacy group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) has announced a special Sikh prayer ceremony to honor Trump’s survival.
The event — scheduled for August 17 in Washington, D.C. — will feature a traditional Ardas (Sikh prayer) dedicated to what SFJ calls the “Victory of MAGA Ballot Over Bullet.” The group says the ceremony is both a tribute to President Trump’s resilience and a symbolic stand against political violence.
“President Trump’s perseverance to Make America Great is commendable,” said Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, General Counsel for SFJ.
“You survived the bullet. You stood by the ballot. Your defiance has inspired the Khalistan Referendum — using ballots, not bullets, for freedom.”
The prayer will coincide with ongoing voting in the Khalistan Referendum, a non-binding initiative organized by SFJ in which Sikhs across the diaspora vote on the proposed independence of Indian-administered Punjab. The referendum, according to SFJ, promotes peaceful self-determination through democratic means.
Pannun also linked the Trump assassination attempt to what he described as state-sponsored efforts by the Indian government to suppress Sikh political expression, including an alleged 2023 assassination plot against him — a U.S. citizen — in New York City.
In November 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice charged an Indian national in connection with the plot, stating the conspiracy was orchestrated by India’s foreign intelligence agency, R&AW.
“Same method. Same motive. Stop the ballot with bullets,” said Pannun.
“Modi failed. The Sikh ballot will go forward — just like MAGA.”
SFJ says the timing of the August 17 ceremony is meant to send a global message — not just about the survival of Trump, but about the broader fight against political suppression through violence.
“From Washington to Delhi, the message is clear,” Pannun added.
“Ballots will defeat bullets.”
The ceremony is expected to attract Sikh community members, human rights advocates, and Trump supporters alike, all gathering to honor democratic resilience in the face of violence.
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