180 Hindu organisations write to UK PM, say they are living in a state of fear
New Delhi, Oct 17: Hindu organisations and over 80 British Indian citizens including Temple authorities have written to UK Prime Minister Liz Truss demanding action against targeted hate crimes against the Hindu community.
In the open letter, they requested the PM to intervene and protect them as they are being targeted.
They also said that they feel threatened in the country following the violence in Birmingham and Leicester.
In the open letter they made six appeals including sufficient security for the Hindu community in short and long terms. "We write to draw your attention to the recent disturbances in Leicester, Birmingham and other towns which have greatly distressed the Indian and Hindu communities in the UK. Hatred towards the Hindu community is at an all-time high, to the point where there has been open violence, intimidation, and abuse levelled at Hindus through physical assaults, harassment on social media, and most recently through soft targeting in schools and the workplace," says the letter.
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The letter was also signed by major Hindu organisations including the National Council of Hindu Temples, BAPS Shriu Swaminarayan Sanstha UK, Indian National Students Association UK, Iskcon Manchester, Overseas Friends of BJP (UK), the Hindu Lawyers Association (UK), and Insight UK.
"We
are
less
than
two
per
cent
of
the
population,
and
yet,
our
contribution,
of
which
you
no
doubt
are
aware,
is
significantly
higher
both
in
terms
of
socio-economic
contribution
to
the
British
economy
and
by
way
of
social
integration
as
well
as
upholding
our
progressive
British
values.
The
Hindu
community
is
one
of
the
most
law-abiding,
as
evidenced
by
the
imprisonment
statistics.
Yet,
today,
we
feel
like
a
community
that
is
under
siege.
As
a
last
resort,
we
write
to
you
to
draw
your
attention
to
our
plight,
and
the
long-term
consequences
of
what
is
unfolding,"
the
letter
said.
https://twitter.com/INSIGHTUK2/status/1580889694677569539?s=20&t=PsNkVMV6-N4eArB49HeWMw
Further
it
said,
' you
must
be
aware
of
the
violence
in
Leicester
and
the
aggressive
protests
outside
a
temple
in
Birmingham
as
well
as
the
vicious
attempts
to
harass
the
Hindu
community
in
Nottingham
and
outside
London's
iconic
Sanatan
Mandir
in
Wembley.
Although
the
causes
of
what
happened
in
Leicester
are
many
and
complex,
the
bottom
line
is
that
a
marginalised
Hindu
community
has
been
targeted
through
violence
and
intimidation.'
https://twitter.com/INSIGHTUK2/status/1580889700683812864?s=20&t=PsNkVMV6-N4eArB49HeWMw
The
Hindu
community
lives
in
a
state
of
fear.
Some
families
have
already
left
the
neighbourhood
whole
others
are
planning
to
relocate,
the
letter
said
while
stating
that
a
highly
organised
band
of
radical
Islamists
took
full
advantage
of
the
community
tensions
that
existed
between
this
marginalised
Hindu
community
and
their
Muslim
neighbours
which
had
previously
lived
in
peace.
"First,
to
ensure
that
the
Police
are
actively
investigating
the
most
recent
crimes
against
the
Hindu
community
as
set
out
in
this
letter;
second,
to
declare
and
ensure
financial
support
is
provided
for
the
victims
of
these
riots,
including
businesses
in
Leicester
that
have
been
vandalised
during
the
riots
and
third,
to
commission
an
independent
investigation
into
anti-Hindu
hatred
and
its
causes,"
the
letter
read.
"Fourth,
to
recognise
the
threat
of
British
homegrown
extremism
and
how
certain
parts
of
Britain
have
become
hubs
of
radicalisation;
fifth,
help
us
fund
training
for
teachers
so
that
they
are
aware
of
and
can
identify
and
deal
with
anti-Hindu
hatred
in
schools;
and
sixth,
to
ensure
that
sufficient
security
is
provided
to
the
Hindu
community
both
in
the
short-term
and
long-term,
including
sufficient
security
during
the
celebration
of
Diwali
around
the
UK,"
the
Hindu
community's
open
letter
to
the
British
PM
read.