<h1>Diwali spending remarks spark accusations of insulting Hindu faith and demands for immediate retraction and apology.</h1> A political leader questioned repeated public expenditure on Diwali lamps, comparing local celebrations unfavourably to prolonged foreign Christmas illumination and calling such spending wasteful. Senior ruling-party figures accused him of insulting the Hindu faith, asserted that his remarks harmed artisans who sell Diwali lamps, and demanded an immediate retraction and public apology while framing the comments as politically motivated.