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Diwali is celebrated with unlimited zeal not just in India but across the world. From special puja to temple visits and fireworks displays, the festival has become a vibrant symbol of Indian culture globally. As Diwali festivities lit up the globe on October 21, a viral video from the United States showcased the festival of lights being celebrated with full enthusiasm by the citizens. Shared by a 20-year-old Indian student, Mukul Verma, based in New Jersey, the clip showed him and a group of friends bursting firecrackers on a residential street. But the cheerful moment quickly took an unexpected turn when local firefighters arrived and sprayed water over the fireworks, leading to confusion among onlookers. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MUKUL VERMA (@mukul_verma.16) How Did Social Media Users React? The Instagram video soon went viral and drew sharp criticism from several social media users. “NRI behaves more like Indians than Indians in foreign countries,” read a comment. Another wrote, “‘Just to clarify’ doesn’t clarify anything at all. Firstly, it should be within limits, but when uneducated people get out of control, then all this drama takes place.” “The main reason the whole world is suffering,” said a user. An individual stated, “There’s a reason why they hate us. When will you guys learn? Disgusting behaviour.” “A handful of you are literally spoiling it for the rest of us Indians. Diwali definitely DOES NOT mean loudness, pollution and the mess you have created,” commented a user. An account posted, “Country where the government and police actually work.” Mukul Responds To The Backlash Amid the trolling, Mukul took to the comments section to clarify what really happened. He explained that the Diwali celebration was fully permitted by the local authorities and conducted under official supervision. “Just to clarify, this Diwali celebration was fully permitted by the state, and fireworks were officially allowed,” he wrote. He further explained that all safety arrangements, including roadblocks, an ambulance, and a fire brigade, were arranged by the city. Mukul then revealed, “Someone from the crowd suddenly lit skyshots, which weren’t allowed, so the fire brigade sprayed water only for safety, not to stop Diwali.” He added that the police were present to manage the crowd and urged people to maintain positivity. Mukul concluded, saying, “Please don’t spread hate; Diwali is about light, love and unity.” Despite the clarification, social media users accused the group of being irresponsible and disrespectful of local laws.
