Diwali as US federal holiday? 19 lawmakers back fresh push

Five Indian-American lawmakers have joined 14 other US representatives in backing fresh legislation to designate Diwali as a federal holiday in the United States.

The Diwali Day Act, reintroduced in the House of Representatives under the leadership of Congresswoman Grace Meng, has secured the support of 19 lawmakers and seeks to recognise the festival as an official national holiday.The Indian-origin lawmakers supporting the legislation include Raja Krishnamoorthi, Suhas Subramanyam, Shri Thanedar, Ro Khanna and Ami Bera.Also Read| ‘He won two wars’: Donald Trump rallies behind Hegseth amid impeachment pushGrace Meng, who heads the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), said the legislation would help raise awareness about the festival and promote cultural inclusion."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," she said in an official statement.The proposed legislation describes Diwali, also known as Deepavali or the…