By M Ghazali Khan / The Milli Gazette
Peace-loving individuals, activists and politicians from all shades have condemned recent Hindu-Muslim violence in Leicester and Birmingham.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan appealed to Hindus and Muslims of the city ‘not to allow the politics of the sub-continent to spill over’ into the UK. ‘We should be eternally on our guard against extremist forces who seek to stoke up tensions between our communities for their own selfish ends. Everyone in the UK and around the world should have the right to live in peace and to practice their religion without fear or threats,’ Mr Khan said.
On 20 September, community leaders and local politicians gathered outside Leicester’s Jame Mosque and issued a joint statement appealing to end ‘provocation and violence’ immediately.
The joint statement read out at the steps of the city’s Jame Mosque by Pradyumna Pradipgajjar, President of the city’s Iskcon Hindu temple, said: ‘We, the family of Leicester, stand in front of you not only as Hindus and Muslims but as brothers and sisters. Our two faiths have lived harmoniously in this wonderful city for over half a century.
‘We arrived in this city together. We faced the same challenges together; we fought off racist haters together and collectively made this city a beacon of diversity and community cohesion.’ It appealed for ‘immediate cessation of provocation and violence – both in thought and behaviour. We together call upon the inciters of hatred to leave our city alone.’
South Asia Solidarity Group (SASG) organised a demonstration outside the High Commission of India (HCI) against Hindutva.
A press release issued by the SASG supported the stand taken by the faith groups in Leicester and said: ‘We echo the sentiments in the recent joint statement of Hindu and Muslim faith leaders in Leicester’. Its leader, veteran human rights activist and writer Amrit Wilson said: ‘We are here today because we want to show that we are united, and we want peace. We do not want the BJP and the RSS and all their followers, together with the white fascists who have come to divide our community.’
While several peace-loving residents of Leicester and UK are aghast at what happened in this multicultural, multiracial and, until recently, an example of social cohesion, HCI, following the instructions of the Hindutva government in Delhi, issued a highly partisan statement displaying lack of diplomacy, perhaps unprecedented in India’s diplomatic history.
‘We strongly condemn the violence perpetrated against the Indian Community in Leicester and vandalisation of premises and symbols of Hindu religion. We have strongly taken up this matter with the UK authorities and have sought immediate action against those involved in these attacks.’ HCI’s statement issued on 19 September 2022 read.
Ironically India vehemently rejects even the mildest concern expressed from the platform of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on BJP government’s Islamophobic policies, calling it an interference in India’s internal affairs.
The umbrella body of British Muslims, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) came heavily on HCI‘. In a letter, dated 20 September 2022, and addressed to Indian High Commissioner Mr Vikram K. Doraiswami, MCB’s Secretary General Zara Mohammad reminded him that: ‘Leicester is home to a thriving and integrated Indian diaspora of Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs, who have been living together in harmony for over half a century.’
Deploring the Leicester violence, Zara Mohammad said: ‘The question we must ask ourselves, is: what has turned this vibrant community, once a model of unity, into one that is deeply divided, where ordinary people are fearful for their own safety?’
She went on: ‘Whilst it is right that we condemn the desecration of Hindu symbols, you must represent all Indians and also condemn the deliberate targeting, intimidation and instances of assault of Muslims and Sikhs by large groups of thugs chanting far-right Hindutva slogans, mirroring tactics used by the RSS against communities in India.’
In a separate statement, MCB called ‘upon all communities to exercise restraint and for local leaders, including the police and politicians, to listen to the concerns of locals objectively.’
Contrary to media reports that Leicester violence erupted following a Cricket match between India and Pakistan, locals say that sectarian tension had been building up for quite some time. Many blame it on the new arrivals in the city of Indians, who are alleged to have brought with them the Hindutva ideology of hate. The Independent quoted Professor Neil Chakraborti, director of the Centre for Hate Studies at Leicester University, as: ‘There is no doubt in my mind that the religious tensions in India, and the actions of a hardline, violent, nationalist government there, have had a direct influence on what we have seen. Without the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) in power in India – without their demonisation of minority groups – it is difficult to imagine the same tensions here.’
The blame may or may not be accurate and needs to be investigated. However, that fact cannot be denied that, over the years, British politicians, Conservatives, and Labour have been courting Hindutva politicians.
The latest example of this courtship was witnessed during Boris Johnson’s visit to India in April this year when he posed on a JBC bulldozer. He and his advisors ignored, very insensitively, the brazenly anti-Muslim political environment in his host country where the monster machine had been used to demolish Muslims’ properties and businesses in the capital itself and had become a symbol of Hindutva aggression against Muslims.
This story was originally published in milligazette.com . Read the full story here