US lawmaker moves bill to make Diwali federal holiday

US Congresswoman Grace Meng on Monday reintroduced the Diwali Day Act to make Diwali a federal holiday, calling the recognition long overdue. She flagged the rising hate against Hindu and South Asian communities across the US, including the recent incident where a far-right activist disrupted Diwali celebrations in Seattle. Meng's bill has been co-sponsored by 19 fellow lawmakers.