'Muslims Built America,' the noted journalist fires back, emphasising that Muslims in the US are as American as anyone else and deserve the same religious freedoms as Christians
NEW DELHI – A fiery exchange between US Congressman Brandon Gill and British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan has sparked widespread controversy over cultural tolerance and Islamophobia in America. The debate erupted after Hasan defended the Islamic call to prayer (Azaan), saying, “If you can have your church bells, we can have our Islamic prayer call.”
The confrontation began when Hasan, Editor-in-Chief and CEO of Zeteo and a former Al Jazeera journalist, emphasised that Muslims in the US are as American as anyone else and deserve the same religious freedoms as Christians. His statement quickly drew criticism from Republican Congressman Brandon Gill, who accused Hasan of trying to “transform the landscape of American public life.”
Hasan fired back by highlighting the Indian-American roots of Gill’s wife, saying, “Your wife is an Indian American, the daughter of an Indian immigrant.” The remark appeared to challenge Gill’s anti-immigrant tone.
In response, Gill lashed out, saying his wife was a Christian who did not want to hear Hasan’s “oppressive Muslim prayer call.” He then added, “If you want to live in a Muslim country, go back to the UK.”
Brandon Gill represents Texas’s 26th congressional district and is the youngest Republican member of Congress.
The Hasan-Gill exchange soon went viral.
A user on X wrote, “Church bells and the Muslim Adhan (call to prayer), when used by private religious institutions outdoors, are both protected as free religious expression under the First Amendment of the US Constitution, provided they are not government-sponsored. Local noise ordinances may apply but cannot single out religious expression for restriction.”
Another wrote, “Odd sort of a Christian that, who doesn’t show tolerance and compassion? Not very Christ-like behaviour.”
Someone said, “How is a call to prayer – PRAYER – oppressive unless you are hateful?”
This was not Gill’s first controversial statement. The Texas Congressman previously targeted Indian-origin Democrat Zohran Mamdani, a New York mayoral candidate, mocking a video of Mamdani eating rice with his hands. Gill wrote, “Civilised people in America don’t eat like this. If you refuse to adopt Western customs, go back to the Third World.”
Social Media Backlash
Gill’s remarks ignited a social media backlash, with critics pointing out the irony of his stance given that he is married to Danielle D’Souza Gill, the Indian-American daughter of conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza.
Amid the criticism, Danielle D’Souza Gill distanced herself from Indian traditions, stating, “I did not grow up eating rice with my hands and have always used a fork. I’m a Christian MAGA patriot. My father’s extended family in India are also Christian and they use forks too.” – With inputs from Agencies
Photo: US Congressman Brandon Gill and journalist Mehdi Hasan
