US Schools to Consider Official Holiday on Hindu Festival Diwali

• Many Public school districts in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania have already declared a day off for Diwali

• There has been an estimated 1 million increase in Hindus in the USA making it 1% of its total population

• Rajan Zed, a social activist, says it is important to meet the religious and spiritual needs of Hindu people

June 26, 2017: Hindu citizens of the Texas city in the USA are promoting all public school districts and private-charter-independent schools to stay closed on Diwali, which is the most celebrated and famous festival of Hindus and is to be observed on October 19 this year.

Many public school districts in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania have already declared a day off for Diwali, while others are still considering this decision. Zed suggested all Texas schools, public-private-charter-independent, to seriously deal with this matter for ensuring the connection between spirituality and education. This, in turn, will lead to culturally and religiously enlightened citizens of tomorrow.

According to a social activist, Rajan Zed, it would be a step in the positive direction, as it was important to meet the religious and spiritual needs of Hindu people.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, insists schools on making attempts to accommodate the religious requirements of Hindu students and show respect to their faith by not carrying out daily business and taking classes on Diwali. He does not want students to bear an unwanted disadvantage for missing important assignments and work at school by taking a day off to observe Diwali. He urged Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath and Texas State Board of Education Chair Donna Bahorich to work towards adding Diwali as an official holiday in all the state's public schools and motivating others to follow.

Zed asked schools to consider Diwali holiday on par with other religious holidays. He focused on equality of all religions without discriminating or isolating some. There has been an estimated 1 million increase in Hindus in the USA making it 1% of its total population. Zed further stressed the importance of Diwali being the festival of victory of good over evil and the value it holds to the Hindu culture which is also one of the richest cultures in the world.

Prepared by Surbhi Dhawan. Twitter @surbhi_dhawan