IHEYO

Citizens in the Dutch town of Amstelveen have condemned plans by local authorities to support a controversial Hindu festival that would involve praying to a Hindu goddess from India, in the heart of the town.

The nearby Dutch capital Amsterdam and Amstelveen-based KPMG, one of the world’s largest professional services providers, also finance the October 10 festival on Amstelveen’s ‘Stadsplein’ (Town Square). Local officials said the ‘India Diwali Festival’, or ‘Festival of Lights’, is part of a policy to accommodate the Indian community in Amstelveen, a European gateway for international companies due to its location near Schiphol Airport and key highways.

Goddess Lakshmi is a key attraction during the festival, which symbolizes the victory over evil, according to organizers. Young visitors can receive Hindu make-up and dresses, and also paint their own small clay lamp, while the event will also feature Hindu tattoos, music, dancing, and hundreds of small lights, reported the influential Amstelveen-based news website amstelveen.blog.nl. Several Amstelveen citizens, including Christians, have expressed shock about the event and demanded that the local Christian party
ChristianUnie (ChristianUnion) protests the planned festival in the local council.
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23744/festival-of-lights-amstelveen-netherlands