No Diwali holiday in Millburn schools: Hindus upset

NEW JERSEY -The Hindu community is heartbroken over Millburn Township School District in New Jersey (USA) not including Diwali as a school holiday in its 2014-2015 school calendar despite representations made by its torch-bearers.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (US), said that it was not fair with Hindu pupils and their families as they would have to attend school on their most popular festival while schools in the district were kept closed on the holy days of some other religions.

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, argued that this injustice did not send a good signal to the impressionable minds of schoolchildren and urged the district to immediately revise the already approved 2014-15 calendar and include Diwali, which fell on October 23 this year.

He said that since Hindu families celebrated the festival of lights together, the children should not be deprived of any privileges at the school because of their absence on this day.

Zed noted that awareness about the Hindu religion created by Diwali would make the Millburn pupils well-nurtured, well-balanced, and enlightened future citizens, besides bringing about unity in the community.

According to Rajan Zed, Diwali aimed at dispelling the darkness and lighting up the lives and symbolizing the victory of good over evil is also considered a harvest festival and even Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists also celebrate the popular festival.

Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents.

The Millburn Township School District in Millburn consists of seven schools and a preschool program with total about 4,925 pupils, including Millburn High, a national Blue Ribbon School. Jeffrey Waters and James Crisfield are board president and superintendent, respectively.

Township of Millburn, incorporated in 1857, had reportedly one of the highest annual property tax bills in the state. Robert Tillotson and Timothy Gordon are Mayor and business administrator, respectively, of Millburn, whose notable residents include actress Anne Hathaway, actor John C. McGinley and hockey player Brian Rolston.