Following Glen Rock, Hindus Urge Diwali Holiday in All NJ School Districts

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed urged all public school districts and private schools in New Jersey to follow in the footsteps of Glen Rock, which has added Diwali as a holiday on their school calendar.

“Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that it would be a positive thing to do in view of presence of a substantial number of Hindu students at schools around the state, as it was important to meet the religious and spiritual needs of these students,” according to a press release.

Diwawli “is oldest and third largest religion of the world,” the press release stated.

This comes after Glen Rock’s Board of Education voted to add Diwali to the school’s calendar Monday, NJ.com reported. It is the first school district in Bergen County to do so.

“Awareness about other religions, thus created by such holidays like Diwali, would make New Jersey students well-nurtured, well-balanced, and enlightened citizens of tomorrow,” Zed said.

Diwali, the festival of lights, “aims at dispelling the darkness and lighting up the lives and symbolizes the victory of good over evil,” and falls on Nov. 11 in 2015.