Emma Reynolds, Labour MP for Wolverhampton North East and Shadow Housing Minister, recently joined a celebration of Diwali in Parliament. Diwali is a key religious festival for Hindus and Sikhs.For Hindus, the festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair. The name Diwali literally means “row of lights.”

For Sikhs, Diwali marks the Bandi Chhor Divas, an important commemoration of the Sikh struggle for freedom from oppression.

Speaking afterwards, Emma said “It was wonderful to attend this celebration of Diwali in Parliament. I am pleased that it was attended by so many people from across the country and from such a variety of faiths. Diwali is a festival that brings people of different faiths together. At its heart it is about the victory of good over evil, this is a great universal theme that can unite people from all different backgrounds.”

October 2014