Trump celebrates Diwali celebration at White House, calls PM Modi a ‘great person, friend’

US President Donald Trump attended the Diwali celebrations held at the White House on Tuesday (local time) and extended his warm greetings to the people of India and Indian Americans on the occasion.

In his maiden speech, the US President praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a “great person” and a “great friend” and noted US-India trade and regional peace ties.

Trump said at the event: “Let me extend our warmest wishes to the people of India. I just spoke to your Prime Minister. We had a great conversation. We talked about trade… He was very interested in that. Even though we had talked a little while ago about not going to war with Pakistan, I was able to talk about that because there was trade involved. And we don’t have a war with Pakistan and India. That was a very, very good thing.”

“He is a wonderful person and has been a great friend of mine over the years,” the US President added.

Emphasizing the symbolic importance of the festival, President Trump said, “In a few minutes, we will light the diya as a symbol of belief in the victory of light over darkness… This is knowledge over ignorance, goodness over evil. During Diwali, those who join in the fun remember old stories where enemies were defeated, obstacles were removed and captives were freed.”

He also added that Diya’s flame reminds everyone to “seek the path of wisdom, study diligently, and always be thankful for the many blessings we have.”

After his first statements, Trump lit diyas to celebrate the festival at the White House.

A number of senior officials from the Trump Administration were present during the event, including FBI Director Kash Patel, ODNI Director Tulsi Gabbard, White House Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai, Indian Ambassador to the United States Vinay Mohan Kwatra and US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor.

A delegation of prominent Indian American business leaders also attended the ceremony; this reflected the increasing involvement of the Indian diaspora in US-India relations.

The celebration at the White House underscores the cultural importance of Diwali in American society and the close ties between the United States and India.

Earlier, US Congressmen Raja Krishnamoorthi and Brian Fitzpatrick introduced a bipartisan resolution in the US House of Representatives, beginning October 20, to recognize the religious and historical significance of Diwali.

The decision honors the cultural, spiritual and historical significance of Diwali to more than three million Indian Americans, including Hindus, Jains and Sikhs, according to a press release. This reflects a growing recognition of the contributions of the Indian diaspora to the United States.

Diwali is a five-day festival that begins on Dhanteras. On Dhanteras, people buy jewelery or utensils and worship deities.

The second day is called Naraka Chaturdashi. It is also called ‘Chhoti Diwali’ or Little Diwali.

The third day of Diwali is the main day of celebrations. People worship Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi on this day and offer prayers to bless them with wealth and prosperity.

The fourth day of Diwali is dedicated to Govardhan Puja. The fifth day is called Bhai Dooj. On this day, sisters perform the Tika ceremony and pray for their brother to live a long and happy life, and brothers respond by giving gifts to their sisters.

(This story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI)