US lawmaker introduces bill to declare Diwali as a federal holiday in US
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US lawmaker introduces bill to declare Diwali as a federal holiday in US

A prominent American lawmaker Grace Meng on Friday introduced a bill in the US Congress to declare Diwali as a federal holiday in the US, a move welcomed by different communities from across the country.

Meng during a virtual news conference in the US soon after introducing the bill in the House of Representatives, said, "Diwali is one of the most important days of the year for billions of people across the globe and for countless families and communities in Queens, New York, and the United States."

The Diwali Day Act, if signed into law would make the festival of lights the 12th federally recognised holiday in the United States. Recently, the Pennsylvania State Senate passed a bill to recognise Diwali as an official holiday.