Canadian poet Rupi Kaur has declined an invitation to a Diwali celebration hosted by the White House. Kaur stated on social media that she turned down the invite from the US government due to their response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas War. She also called on other South Asians to demand accountability from the US government.
Rupi Kaur is a Toronto-based poet, author, and illustrator. Her first book, “Milk And Honey,” was published in 2014 and became a bestseller, selling over a million copies and reaching number one on the New York Times bestsellers list. Her work explores themes of love, loss, trauma, healing, femininity, and migration. Kaur has amassed over four million followers on Instagram.
Initially, Kaur gained fame as an “Instapoet,” building a large following on social media. She gained attention when Instagram removed a self-portrait image of her sleeping on a bed with blood stains from her period. She criticized Instagram for allowing sexualized images of women while censoring a normal female experience.
Kaur declined the White House Diwali event invitation as she refuses to attend any institution that supports the collective punishment of civilians. The event, hosted by US Vice President Kamala Harris, is scheduled for November 8. Kaur accused the US government of justifying “genocide against Palestinians” in a social media post. She stated that she cannot support an administration that funds the bombardment of Gaza and ignores calls for a humanitarian ceasefire.
Several other South Asian personalities expressed their support for Kaur and also announced they would boycott the event. Actor Richa Moorjani from Netflix’s “Never Have I Ever” stated that she stands in solidarity with Kaur. Content creator Payal, who had been waiting for an invitation since last year’s event, also declined hers, citing her inability to support the administration’s actions.
The Israel-Hamas War continues to escalate, with Israel vowing to destroy Islamist operatives and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejecting calls for a general ceasefire. US President Joe Biden has suggested tactical pauses in the fighting to facilitate aid and potential hostage releases.
