The meeting held on Thursday of the Texas State Parliament of America has passed a resolution to celebrate May 15 every year as 'Buddha Day' as Nepal is the birthplace of Gautama Buddha. The proposal to celebrate May 15 as 'Buddha Day' submitted by Speaker Dustin Burrow in the meeting of the Rajya Sabha was passed unanimously.
State MPs (House of Representatives) Dr. Suleiman Lalani, Terry Meza, Salman Bhojani and others representing various districts of Texas prepared and registered the resolutions regarding 'Buddha Day' in the Parliament. On that occasion, Nepali Cultural and Spiritual Center of Texas, Nepali Society of Texas, Greater Austin Nepali Society, Buddhist Association of Texas, Tamang Society of Texas and more than a dozen organizations, more than 60 Buddhist monks from different countries including Nepal, Vietnam, Colombia, Myanmar were present.
The Nepali community here has expressed their happiness that the Texas state parliament is becoming Nepal-friendly. Currently, there is no representation of Nepalese lawmakers in the state parliament of Texas. Rajendra Wagle, president of the Nepali Society of Texas, said that the state parliamentarians are giving high importance to the proposal related to Nepal.
Texas is a state with a dense population of Nepali community. People from the Nepali community here have been lobbying for a long time to establish the identity of Nepal and Nepali people in Texas. Until now, the Texas State Parliament has passed resolutions regarding Nepal Day and Lumbini Day. Resolution proposal regarding Buddha Day celebration is the third.
Vidur Khatiwada, president of the Greater Austin Nepal Society, said that the proposal to celebrate Buddha Day was a further success in favor of the identity of Nepal and Nepali people. According to Chairman Khatiwada, since the Rajya Sabha of Texas has accepted the birth place of Gautama Buddha as Lumbini in Nepal and passed a resolution, every year May 15 will be celebrated as Buddha Day by organizing various events.
