Diwali celebration in New Jersey sparks debate over littered roads
What's the story
Diwali celebrations in New Jersey, United States, have sparked a debate over public responsibility after the streets were left littered with firecracker waste. Viral videos from areas like Jersey City and India Street showed firefighters using high-pressure water jets to clear the debris. The videos also show public roads strewn with cardboard boxes, wrappers, ash, and other waste from the celebrations. Smoke still hung in the air as police monitored the situation and people looked on.
Twitter Post
Video shows celebration
Indians celebrating Deepavali in New Jersey .
— Prashanth Rangaswamy (@itisprashanth) November 9, 2026
I will not be be surprised if USA mass deports us at some point !
They talk about how ancient our culture is, but forget that they are guests in that country and should behave ! pic.twitter.com/ivI5U3Fzjv
Clean-up efforts
Streets littered with firecracker waste, cardboard boxes
The incident has sparked discussions on social media platforms about civic responsibility and respect for public spaces during festivals.
"I will not be surprised if USA mass deports us at some point ! They talk about how ancient our culture is, but forget they are guests in that country and should behave!" one user wrote, sharing a video of the celebration.
Users
US lawmakers push to recognize Diwali as holiday
"Police are overseeing cleanup as crews hose down streets LITTERED with spent firecrackers and trash. Celebrating is one thing. Leaving the entire mess for someone else to clean up is another," another user wrote.
Diwali is celebrated across several states in the US.
A group of lawmakers, led by Grace Meng, on Monday said they will reintroduce a bill in the House of Representatives to recognize Diwali as a federal holiday.
Act
My Diwali Day Act
Meng, the chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), and 19 other lawmakers, including Raja Krishnamoorthi, Suhas Subramanyam, Shri Thanedar, Ro Khanna and Ami Bera, reintroduced the Diwali Day Act to recognize the festival.
"My Diwali Day Act will help educate Americans about the importance of this day, and I will continue working to create a more inclusive nation that honors the rich cultural traditions of its people," Meng said in a statement.