By Arun Kumar, IANS
Washington : After the US House of Representatives, it was the turn of the Senate to adopt a resolution “recognising the religious and historical significance of the festival of Diwali” with unanimous consent.
The resolution noted that Diwali, “a festival of great significance to Indian Americans and South Asian Americans, is celebrated annually by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains throughout the US”.
It “recognizes the religious and historical significance of the festival of Diwali; and in observance of Diwali, the festival of lights, expresses its deepest respect for Indian Americans and the Indian diaspora throughout the world on this significant occasion”.
New Jersey Democrat Robert Menendez, who introduced the resolution with Texas Republican John Cornyn, said he was “delighted that the Senate had agreed to pass the resolution” as “it is important that we celebrate the great diversity that makes up and strengthens our national fabric”.
He said it “gives me great pride to commemorate what Diwali stands for-a time to be with family, and to pray for health, knowledge and peace”.
The resolution was co-sponsored by Frank Lautenberg, Carl Levin, Sherrod Brown and Senator Robert Casey (all Democrats).
Meanwhile, Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton extended Diwali greetings afresh describing it as “a time to celebrate our common humanity and remind us of the importance of family and friends”.
The former first lady, who had earlier sent out Diwali greetings more than a week before the festival, said: “The US was founded on a great tradition of religious liberty and Indian Americans of all faiths have helped to demonstrate that our diversity is indeed strength.”
Rival Democratic hopeful Barack Obama, in his Diwali greetings to the Indian American community, said it was a “wonderful opportunity to reflect on the progress of the year past and rededicate ourselves to spreading peace and tolerance in the year to come.
“This celebration of the triumph of illumination over ignorance has a special meaning for me this year. I have travelled across America for the last 10 months meeting people of every spiritual and ethnic background, and I have been struck by how much progress we have made,” the rising Black leader said.