US Congresswoman Grace Meng has said she believes Democratic control of both chambers of Congress could meaningfully improve the prospects of making Diwali a federal holiday in the United States, and confirmed she will reintroduce the legislation in the next Congress. Speaking in an exclusive interview from Washington, the New York Democrat called the recognition a matter of inclusion and cross-cultural understanding for all Americans.

A Renewed Legislative Push

Meng first introduced her Diwali federal holiday proposal in 2023, and the current effort marks its second introduction. Despite slow progress, she drew a parallel to the long road that led to Juneteenth becoming a national holiday, and to securing school observances for Lunar New Year, Eid and Diwali in New York City — a battle she said she fought from the state legislature and eventually won.

'Yeah, holidays take a long time,' she said. 'But that's why it's more important to persevere.'

Asked directly whether she would introduce the measure again, Meng replied: 'Yes, absolutely.' Her team is reportedly gathering co-sponsors in the House and is hoping to see a companion bill introduced in the Senate as well.

Why Democratic Gains Matter

Meng said Democratic gains in both the House and Senate offered what she described as 'a stronger chance of this becoming law as well.' She stressed the need for bipartisan backing, framing the effort as a question of respect and inclusion for growing Asian-American communities rather than a partisan cause. Making Diwali a federal holiday would require legislation to clear Congress and be signed into law — a threshold no previous effort has reached.

Growing Visibility, Growing Threats

While acknowledging the festival's rising public profile — marked by official greetings from politicians across party lines and school observances in major cities — Meng coupled that progress with a stark warning about hostility toward South Asian communities.

'Anti-South Asian hate online has increased about 240 per cent in the last few years,' she said, though she did not identify the underlying study during the interview. She cited what she described as a thwarted mass-shooting attempt at an Illinois Hindu temple where Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi had been worshipping with his family, and an incident in which racist activists reportedly interrupted a Diwali celebration in Washington state while children were performing. These incidents were cited by Meng during the interview and have not been independently verified.

Indian-American Representation in Focus

Meng welcomed the election of two new Indian-American members of Congress, noting both had won competitive races and flipped seats from Republican to Democratic control. She said she had stayed in contact with them throughout their campaigns and met them again during their orientation in Washington. She also pointed to former Vice President Kamala Harris's rise as evidence of the community's expanding footprint in American public life.

Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and some Buddhists, including across the large Indian diaspora in the United States. Though local celebrations, school observances and official greetings have elevated the festival's visibility, it remains without federal recognition. Whether the new Congress takes Meng's proposal further will depend in part on how firmly Democratic leadership puts cultural inclusion legislation on its agenda.