Crowley praised Tulsi Gabbard, first Hindu American lawmaker and Ami Bera, the lone Indian-American politician in the US House, for helping to plan the event and "stirring up interest amongst our members."
"I think it is a testament to the growth of the Indian-American community," Crowley, who has participated in Diwali festivals in the Indo-American enclave of the Jackson Heights section of Queens in New York, told the Roll Call.
"According to spiritual tradition, Diwali is observed as the victory of light over darkness, truth over untruth and righteousness over wrong, and as a time of spiritual renewal," Gabbard was quoted as saying
"This message has great relevance at a time when politics and partisanship seem to overshadow compassion and concern for the greater good."
