US policy on Palestine contradicts the ‘spirit of Diwali’, Indian-origin poet declines White House invitation

Washington: Indian-Canadian poet, Rupi Kaur, has declined a White House invitation to Diwali celebration in protest against the US support to Israeli bombardment on Gaza that so far claimed over 10000 lives, including children.

By declining a Diwali invitation from Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States, Kaur expressed her strong disapproval of the Biden administration's stance on Palestine, accusing it of funding the bombardment of Gaza and justifying what she referred to as a "genocide against Palestinians."

In a released statement on November 6, Kaur emphasized that the US policy on Palestine contradicts the "spirit of Diwali," a Hindu festival symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness.

As a Sikh woman, she refused to let her likeness be used in whitewashing actions that she believes support the collective punishment of a trapped civilian population, particularly affecting children.

Highlighting the grim realities of the conflict, Kaur pointed out that the US rejects the call for a humanitarian ceasefire, despite pleas from the United Nations, Doctors Without Borders, the Red Cross, and a majority of countries. She drew attention to the devastating toll on Palestinians, with over 10,000 reported deaths, 70% of whom are women and children.

Kaur also condemned the use of white phosphorus bombs by Israel, urging an investigation into what Amnesty International deems potential war crimes.

In her impassioned plea, Kaur called upon the South Asian diaspora to hold the administration accountable and demand justice. She criticized those within the community who, in her words, "aren't going to risk their livelihood or take a chance at creating change from the inside," stressing the urgency of speaking out against the atrocities in Gaza.

As her statement circulated, Kaur's act of defiance resonated as a call for courage and a rejection of tokenization. She emphasized that the privilege lost from speaking up pales in comparison to the daily losses endured by Palestinians due to the administration's refusal to endorse a ceasefire.