Maloney writes to Obama on stamp.

By The American Bazaar Staff

NEW YORK: Indian American community leaders Ranju Batra and Ravi Batra joined Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY-12) and the Consul General of India in New York Ambassador Dnyaneshwar Mulay, to push for a Diwali commemorative stamp, a project which has been doing the rounds of Congress for a while now, but the United States Postal Service (USPS) has yet to oblige.

Maloney, Mulay, Chair of the Diwali Stamp Project Ranju Batra, and Chair of the National Advisory Council of South Asian Affairs and noted attorney Ravi Batra gathered at the Indian Consulate here last week to encourage the USPS to issue a postage stamp to commemorate the holiday Diwali.

Maloney also wrote to President Barack Obama urging him to support a Diwali stamp when he visits India next week as India’s chief guest at the Republic Day parade. She had also last week introduced H.Res. 32 to build congressional support for a stamp.

Maloney has been at the vanguard of the movement to get USPS to recognize Diwali and give its due through a stamp. She has headed efforts in Congress to push the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) to consider issuing a commemorative Diwali stamp. In 2013, she introduced H.Res. 47, expressing the sense of the U.S. House of Representatives that the CSAC should issue a Diwali stamp. The bill had 46 cosponsors. Maloney wrote letters to the CSAC in 2010 and 2012 requesting the same action.

Speaking at the meet at the Consulate, Maloney said: “Although Diwali holds a great significance for many Americans and well over a billion people across the globe, the United States Postal Service has still not recognized this beautiful festival of lights with a commemorative stamp, although it has done so for other major religious and cultural holidays such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Eid.”

Maloney added: “It is time for the USPS to step up and recognize the importance of this holiday in the lives of many of our citizens by issuing a commemorative stamp. A relatively small action would hold great meaning for millions of people and I think it would be historic if President Obama would announce his support for a Diwali stamp during his upcoming trip to India.”

Mulay expounded on the importance of the festival to Indians globally.

”Diwali is a festival that is integral to the life of every person of Indian ancestry irrespective of whether the person lives in India or abroad,” said Mulay. “It bonds together a billion people all over the world who celebrate the uplifting spirit behind the lighting of lamps – Diwali. The Diwali stamp by the United States shall definitely add to the already existing good will and strengthen the relations between our two countries.”

Ravi Batra said in his remarks: “USPS can no longer ignore Hinduism, the calls for a Diwali Stamp from the Hindu community and our dear friend and champion, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. This year, the Diwali Stamp will be approved – US Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe has to be reminded that they are currently in violation of a core Constitutional obligation of government – ‘Equal Protection of the Law.'”

Ravi Batra reiterated that the sale of a Diwali stamp could provide much needed revenue bump for the USPS. There are over three million South Asians currently residing in the United States and over one billion South Asians living in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore, Fiji and Pakistan, where Diwali is an official holiday.

Ranju Batra, who had initiated the call for a Diwali stamp by the USPS, and then enlisted Maloney’s support some years ago, reminded the audience that in December 2012, as then President of Association of Indians in America (AIA-NY), she and her organization had honored Maloney with a ‘Silver Diwali Award’ which was jointly presented by India’s and Pakistan’s Permanent Representatives at the United Nations: Amb. Hardeep Singh Puri and Amb. Abdullah Hussain Haroon.

“We have gathered thousands upon thousands of signatures, letters and petitions. Apparently, what we have done so far has not been enough to get the Diwali Stamp issued. We are going to continue our efforts, with grassroots’ support, and won’t stop until we get it,” said Ranju Batra.

Here is the text of Maloney’s letter to Obama:

The Honorable Barack Obama

President of the United States of America

1600 Pennsylvania Ave

Washington, DC

Dear Mr. President,

As you have long noted, the United States and India share a broad and important relationship that is based on friendship and mutual desire for “greater prosperity and security for our citizens and the world.” Not only do our two countries share many important values, such as democracy, but we share strong cultural ties that are in large part driven by the more than three million Indian-Americans living in the U.S. Deepening those cultural ties will be an important part of our growing relationship with India and that is why I hope you will consider announcing your support for a Diwali commemorative U.S. postage stamp when you visit India next week.

Diwali celebrates light over darkness and the importance of renewal, compassion, and knowledge. These are notions that should be common to us all and, especially now, it’s so important to take the time to celebrate them. A Diwali commemorative stamp would send a message to the more than one-billion people who mark this holiday that the U.S. shares these values and honors our country’s religious diversity and inclusiveness. It would also help deepen the friendship not only between India and the U.S., but also between the U.S. people and the Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, and Buddhists around the world who celebrate this holiday.

In addition, I believe such a Diwali stamp could also strengthen the U.S. Postal Service with additional revenues from the millions of people who would purchase such a stamp to send cards to their family, friends, and loved ones, as part of this holiday.

There are currently stamps for a number of holidays including Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Eid. Now is the time for a Diwali stamp. As the first President to light a traditional lamp, the diya, as part of the White House Diwali celebration and the President who has done so much to promote the Diwali values of compassion and tolerance, I hope you will use the occasion of your visit to India to support a Diwali commemorative stamp.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Carolyn B. Maloney

Member of Congress.