Five Indian-American Lawmakers Among 19 Backing Bill to Make Diwali a US Federal Holiday

Nineteen members of the US House of Representatives are now behind a bill that would make Diwali a federal holiday, and five of them are Indian-American. The Diwali Day Act has been reintroduced under the leadership of Congresswoman Grace Meng, who chairs the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, known as CAPAC.

The five Indian-origin lawmakers on board are Raja Krishnamoorthi, Suhas Subramanyam, Shri Thanedar, Ro Khanna and Ami Bera. Fourteen other representatives have joined them. If Congress passes the measure, Diwali would become the 12th federally recognised holiday in the country, and it would come with a day off. Supporters say that status would signal official recognition of the country's diverse cultures and traditions.

The bill's text describes Diwali, also called Deepavali or the Festival of Lights, as an important annual observance for Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. It is also celebrated by billions of people across South Asian, Southeast Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities. Meng noted that the festival carries different meanings for different religious, ethnic and cultural groups, but that it brings people together through reflection, prayer and gatherings with loved ones.

In an official statement, Meng said her bill would help educate Americans about the importance of the day, and that she would keep working toward a more inclusive nation that honours the cultural traditions of its people. She framed the festival as a celebration of the triumph of good over evil and of knowledge over ignorance.

She also tied the bill to the present climate. With anti-Hindu and anti-South Asian hate on the rise, she said, recognising Diwali as a federal holiday would send a powerful message that Hindus, as well as Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists, are valued members of American society.

The caucus pointed to a rise in hostility, intimidation and targeted violence against Hindu and South Asian communities across the country. Among the incidents it cited were vandalism at Hindu places of worship, an attempted mass shooting during Navratri celebrations at a Hindu temple in Illinois, and a recent racist disruption of a Diwali celebration in Washington State. CAPAC said it has been sounding the alarm that such acts of hate must be taken seriously and investigated by federal authorities.

Meng has pursued similar recognition before. She is also the author of the Lunar New Year Day Act, which seeks federal recognition for the Lunar New Year.

The Diwali Day Act has drawn endorsements from a long list of organisations, among them Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the Asian American Federation, the Coalition of Hindus of North America, Hindus for Human Rights, the Hindu Temple Society of North America, Indian American Impact, the Indian Diaspora Council, the Indo-Caribbean Alliance, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund, the Sikh Coalition and the Southeast Asia Resource Action Centre.

The bill still needs to pass Congress. What to watch is whether it attracts more cosponsors beyond the current 19, and whether federal authorities act on the hate incidents the caucus has raised.