Hindus decry derogatory remarks against Roma in Hungarian Parliament

Nevada (US), Feb 18 (ANI): Hindus have strongly criticized reported recent derogatory comments against Roma (Gypsy) community in the Hungarian Parliament.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, asked how this act of further stigmatizing the already most prejudiced against community was acceptable in the Parliament of Hungary who currently holds Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) and who proclaims "Creating a European roma policy" as one of the main issues of its Presidency.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, argued that Hungary should first clean its own backyard before preaching others in the EU and creating policies about an ethnic community which was mocked even in its highest body of Parliament. It smelled xenophobia, attempts at creation of an easy scapegoat, trying to gain political capital by targeting helpless people, etc.

Rajan Zed further said that religious leaders of Hungary, lead by majority Roman Catholics, should also come out openly against this unjust Roma stigmatization as religion told us to help the helpless. It was a sin to watch Roma continually suffer maltreatment day after day for centuries and not do anything.

Europe's most persecuted and discriminated community, Roma were reportedly facing apartheid conditions in Europe. Roma reportedly regularly encountered social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, etc., Zed pointed out. (ANI)