WASHINGTON – After hearing from members of Connecticut’s Sikh community, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Monday introduced a U.S. Senate resolution honoring the festival of Vaisakhi. The festival, which occurred this weekend, is an annual festival celebrating the spring harvest season. Murphy’s resolution reads, “The Senate recognizes the historic, cultural, and religious significance of the festival of Vaisakhi; and the significance of Vaisakhi to Sikh communities in the United States and around the world; and expresses respect for all communities that celebrate Vaisakhi.”

“Connecticut is strong because of its diversity. I’m proud to join members of the Sikh community in Connecticut in honoring the festival of Vaisakhi,” said Murphy.

Norwich resident Swaranjit Singh Khalsa, President of the Sikh Sewak Society International and Spokesman of the Sikh Coordination Committee East Coast, said, “I would like to thank Senator Chris Murphy for recognizing Sikh’s most sacred day, known as ‘Vaisakhi’ with a resolution in the U.S. Senate. The Sikh Nation is greatly appreciative towards him for moving this forward, as it has given our community a recognition at a national level that was long due. This will also give a message to our fellow Americans to rise above bigotry, hatred and have acceptance for other communities.”

The full text of the resolution can be found here and below:

Recognizing the historic, cultural, and religious significance of the festival of Vaisakhi, and expressing respect for all communities that celebrate Vaisakhi.

Whereas Vaisakhi has been celebrated in the Punjab region of South Asia for centuries and today is also celebrated in communities throughout India, in the United States, and around the world;

Whereas Vaisakhi is an annual festival celebrating the spring harvest season;

Whereas Vaisakhi is of particular significance to the Sikh religion and is one of the most important dates in Sikh history;

Whereas, for Sikhs, Vaisakhi commemorates the creation of the Khalsa, a fellowship of devout Sikhs, by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699; and

Whereas Vaisakhi celebrates community, prosperity, and continued progress in the year ahead: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) recognizes—

    (A) the historic, cultural, and religious significance of the festival of Vaisakhi; and

    (B) the significance of Vaisakhi to Sikh communities in the United States and around the world; and

(2) expresses respect for all communities that celebrate Vaisakhi.

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