Neela Pandya
NEW JERSEY: Indian Americans across New Jersey have sought public holiday in the State on Diwali, one of their most popular festivals starting 2022. They contend that it was not fair with New Jersey, as most inthe community have to be at work on their most popular festival while there were public holidays on other religious days.
The pitching for the holiday demand is led Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, who suggested that New Jersey Government needed to revisit its public holiday policies as the New Jersey demographics had changed making it a multicultural society and Hindu population keeps on growing. The New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy needs to seriously examine this issue of fairness.
It is important for Hindu families to celebrate Diwali day together at home/temple. Public holiday on Diwali would ensure that and it would be “a step in the positive direction”. New Jersey had 12 State Holidays in 2020; including Good Friday, Christmas Day, etc.
Zed noted that awareness about other religions thus created by such holidays like Diwali would strengthen cohesion and unity in the overall New Jersey citizenry and make them well-nurtured and enlightened citizens.
As an interfaith gesture, Rajan urged Roman Catholic Archbishop of Newark Cardinal Joseph William Tobin and leaders of other religions/denominations active in New Jersey to come out in the support of Hindu brothers and sisters for Diwali holiday.
Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about 1.2 billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in USA.
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