Diwali federal holiday bill returns to the US House, led by Grace Meng and CAPAC lawmakers

US lawmakers led by Grace Meng said on Monday they will bring back a House bill. The proposal seeks to make Diwali a federal holiday in the United States. Meng and 19 other members plan to re-introduce the Diwali Day Act. Supporters said the move would recognise a widely observed festival.

Representative image

Meng leads the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus CAPAC. The lawmakers listed included Raja Krishnamoorthi, Suhas Subramanyam, Shri Thanedar, Ro Khanna and Ami Bera. If Congress approves the measure, Diwali would become the 12th federally recognised US holiday.

Diwali federal holiday bill and Grace Meng statement

In a statement, Meng said: "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,\". The draft bill frames the proposal as education and public recognition.

The legislation calls Diwali one of the most important yearly holidays for many groups. It names Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. It also points to billions in South Asian, Southeast Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities. The bill notes Diwali is also known as Deepavali.

Meng said Diwali can carry varied meaning across communities. Meng added the Festival of Lights still brings people together. Meng linked observance with reflection, prayer and time with loved ones. The draft also describes Diwali as marking good over evil.

Diwali federal holiday and CAPAC concerns on hate incidents

Meng connected the push to concerns about rising hostility. Meng said anti-Hindu and anti-South Asian hate is increasing. Meng added: \"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,\".

A CAPAC statement said Hindu and South Asian communities face more hate. It cited intimidation and targeted violence. CAPAC also pointed to vandalism at Hindu places of worship. It mentioned an attempted mass shooting during Navratri at a Hindu temple in Illinois.

The CAPAC statement also referred to a disruption in Washington State. It described the incident as racist and linked it to a Diwali celebration. CAPAC said it has warned these incidents need attention. It added such acts should be investigated by federal authorities.

Diwali federal holiday bill endorsements and related legislation

The bill has support from many organisations, the statement said. Endorsers include Asian Americans Advancing Justice AAJC and Asian American Federation AAF. Other backers include Coalition of Hindus of North America CoHNA and Hindus for Human Rights. The list also names Hindu Temple Society of North America and Indian American Impact.

More endorsers include Indian Diaspora Council and Indo-Caribbean Alliance. The statement also listed International Commission on Dalit Rights. It included National Asian Pacific American Bar Association NAPABA. It named National Council of Asian Pacific Americans NCAPA and OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates.

The endorsers also include Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund SALDEF. The list named The Sikh Cultural Society and The Sikh Coalition. It also cited South Asian Impact Foundation and Southeast Asia Resource Action Center SEARAC. Meng also wrote the Lunar New Year Day Act for a federal holiday.

Backers said a federal holiday could show official recognition of culture. The bill said a day off would signal government respect for traditions. The re-introduced measure would next need action in Congress. Lawmakers said the goal is to place Diwali among US federal holidays.

With inputs from PTI