In what would be a strong movement for the Indian-American community, an American legislator is likely to file a bill in the US Congress on the 3rd of November, Wednesday in an attempt to make Diwali a government holiday in the nation.
Carolyn Maloney, a Democrat Congresswoman from New York, will be accompanied by representatives of the India Caucus, notably Congressmen Ro Khanna and Raja Krishnamoorthi and other campaigners, to present her proposal, news agency ANI said.
In August, before India’s Independence Day, she proposed measures to posthumously give Mahatma Gandhi a Congressional Gold Medal, which is considered the highest civilian honor in the United States.
In 2016, Maloney had spearheaded the successful drive to develop the very first Diwali stamp.
She had stated that the Diwali stamp has become one of the most selling stamps in US postage history.
The US politician is routinely spotted at events sponsored by the Indian-American community and engages in Diwali festivities practically every year.
She had uploaded a selfie of her visiting the Diwali festivities at New York’s Times Square on the 31st of October, Saturday.
Check out her tweet below:
It was an honor to celebrate Diwali this evening in Times Square with my friends and colleagues in government.
To all who celebrate, may the gleam of diyas enlighten your spirit and vanquish darkness from your life. pic.twitter.com/0ciMGESjmy
— Carolyn B. Maloney (@RepMaloney) October 30, 2021
Diwali in the United States
Diwali is a huge celebration for the Indian-American community and each year, US Presidents offer their Diwali greetings and celebrate the occasion.
The custom of festivity at the White House had first been initiated by President George Bush.
During his reign, it was celebrated largely in the Indian Treaty Room of the nearby administrative office building, which is part of the Large White House complex.
However, President Bush hadn’t ever personally engaged in the White House Diwali festivities.
During the first year of his office, former President Barack Obama ignited the traditional Diya in the East Room of the White House.
In his final year in office in 2016, Obama for the very first time celebrated the festive season in the Oval Office.
Last year, Joe Biden, who was President-elect, had tweeted, “To the millions of Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists celebrating the Festival of Lights, @DrBiden and I send our best wishes for a #HappyDiwali. May your new year be filled with hope, happiness, and prosperity. Sal Mubarak.”
This is fantastic news for the Indian-American community. How pleased are you with hearing this? Let us know in the comments section below.
