As many as 35 American lawmakers have decided to sponsor a resolution in the House of Representatives demanding the US Postal Services to issue a commemorative stamp on Diwali.
The members include senators like Ami Bera, Tulsi Gabbard, Carolyn B Malone and Joe Crowley. The House Resolution No 47 requests the issue of the stamp ahead of the meeting of the citizens advisory committee of the Postal Service later this month. "The citizens stamp advisory commission in its meeting next week can settle this issue once and for all by recommend to the postmaster general issuance of a stamp honouring this holiday celebrated by billions of people around the world," Malone said. Malone had previously urged supporters of a Diwali commemorative stamp to write the citizens stamp advisory commission .
The New York-based Ranju Batra, chair of Diwali stamp project, said aside from the cultural significance of the Diwali stamp, there are economic benefits associated with its issuance. "There are over 3 million Indian Americans residing in the US and over 1.28 billion Indians living in India. The sale of the Diwali stamp could provide the US Postal Service with a much-needed revenue surge," she noted.
"The Diwali festival honours righteousness and service to others before ourselves. This yearly festival is a time to celebrate the triumph of goodness and truth, and to reflect on the year. It is only appropriate that we commemorate this widely observed holiday and its place in our nation's rich tapestry of religious and cultural diversity," said Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who is the first Hindu-American to serve in the US Congress. Noting that the USPS posted a $16 billion deficit last year, Malone said there is wide agreement in the Indian-American community that a commemorative Diwali stamp would provide it with the badly needed revenue.
