Bill in US Congress to recognise Diwali as federal holiday

Washington, Nov 10 (PTI) A group of US lawmakers, led by Grace Meng, on Monday said they will re-introduce a bill in the House of Representatives to recognise Diwali as a federal holiday.

    Meng, the chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), and 19 US lawmakers, including Raja Krishnamoorthi, Suhas Subramanyam, Shri Thanedar, Ro Khanna and Ami Bera, re-introduced the Diwali Day Act to recognise the festival as a federal holiday.

    “My Diwali Day Act will help educate Americans about the importance of this day, and I will continue working to create a more inclusive nation that honours the rich cultural traditions of its people,” Meng said in a statement.

    The draft legislation describes Diwali, also known as Deepavali or the Festival of Lights, as one of the most important holidays of the year for many religious groups including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists as well as billions in the South Asian, Southeast Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities.

    Meng said while the celebration holds a different significance for these diverse religious, ethnic and cultural groups, the Festival of Lights unites those who observe with reflection, prayer and gathering with loved ones.

    “Diwali represents the triumph of good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. At a time when anti-Hindu and anti-South Asian hate is on the rise, recognising Diwali as a federal holiday sends a powerful message that Hindus, as well as Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists, are valued members of our society,” Meng said.

    Hindu and South Asian communities across the country are facing an alarming rise in hate, intimidation, and targeted violence, a CAPAC statement said.

    “This includes vandalism at Hindu places of worship, an attempted mass shooting during Navratri festivities at a Hindu temple in Illinois, and the recent racist disruption of a Diwali celebration in Washington State. CAPAC has been sounding the alarm that these acts of hate must be taken seriously and investigated by federal authorities,” it said.

    If the bill is passed by Congress, Diwali would become the 12th federally recognised holiday in the United States.

    Establishing a federal holiday for Diwali, and the day off it would provide, would demonstrate that the government values the rich cultures and traditions of its citizens.

    Meng is also the author of the Lunar New Year Day Act, which would establish Lunar New Year as a federally recognised holiday.

    The bill is also endorsed by Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), Asian American Federation (AAF), Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), Hindus for Human Rights, Hindu Temple Society of North America, Indian American Impact, Indian Diaspora Council, Indo-Caribbean Alliance, International Commission on Dalit Rights, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), The Sikh Cultural Society, The Sikh Coalition, South Asian Impact Foundation, and Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC).