Hindu Matters In Britain - For British Hindus

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BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi: A symbol of shared heritage of humanity

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The PM along with the Mukhya Mahant of BAPS Hindu Mandir performed all the rituals. The PM termed the Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi as a symbol of shared heritage of humanity. He said that the temple is a shared heritage of humanity and is a golden moment in India-UAE ties.

 

 

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Diwali 2023 celebrated at the EP with MEPs Morten Løkkegaard and Maxette Pirbakas

On Wednesday 25 October, the Diwali festival was celebrated at the European Union Parliament in Brussels (Belgium). The festival will take place this year on 12 November, but due to Parliament’s own agenda and to allow the largest number of representatives of Hinduism in Europe to attend, it was held two weeks in advance, as reported by La Verdad de Ceuta.

The event was organised by the Hindu Forum of Europe (HFE) in collaboration with the Palan Foundation and the Phi Foundation. Diwali, also known as the festival of lights, has been celebrated in the European Parliament since 2015.

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The Confession Dilemma: What If Dominic Martin Hadn't Claimed Responsibility for the Jehovah's Witnesses Attacks?

In a shocking turn of events, India was recently rocked by a series of explosions at a Jehovah's Witnesses prayer meeting that claimed three lives and left at least 50 individuals injured. The incident took an even more unexpected twist when a Facebook video surfaced, showing a man named Dominic Martin claiming full responsibility for the attacks. However, as the authorities continue their investigation, questions arise about what would have happened if Dominic Martin had never come forward.

 

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A Victoria Cross to a Sikh Soldier

The son of the Sikh soldier Naik Gian Singh who died in 1996, was awarded the highest award for gallantry from King George VI in October 1945 for his part in the Burma campaign was left “in tears” when he found out his father’s World War Two medal is worth an incredible £250,000

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What happened at BAPS and Cisco is a timeless warning about the perils of presuming guilt

The testimony these workers and others stated formed the basis for a May 2021 guns-drawn, pre-dawn raid by Federal law enforcement, violating a highly sacred space. The unprecedented raid was accompanied by a simultaneous New York Times exposé which characterized the widely respected Hindu institution of BAPS as something close to slave-traders, the temple itself compared to the Temple of Doom from the Indiana Jones film series by other writers, and was even used to malign the current government of India, since BAPS originates from the same state as Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Now, those workers stating under oath that they were made to make false allegations are certainly not all of the workers alleging mistreatment in Robbinsville. The initial lawsuit had six named plaintiffs, who stated they were filing the suit “on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated.”  Following the raid some 110 workers were taken from the temple grounds. Where they are being held, we do not know.

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George Soros-backed OCCRP planning ‘expose’ on Indian firms: Report

The Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) – an organisation funded by likes of George Soros and Rockefeller Brothers Fund – is said to be planning an ‘expose’ on certain corporate houses in India, said a report on Thursday.

OCCRP, which calls itself “an investigative reporting platform formed by 24 nonprofit investigative centres… spread across Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America”, may publish a report or a series of articles, reported PTI quoting three sources with knowledge of the matter.

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PM Modi, Guest Of Honour, Indian Forces Take Part In Bastille Day Celebrations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the guest of honour at the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, which began around 1.40 pm Indian time and saw four Rafale fighter jets and two C-17 Globemasters participate in the flypast.

A 269-member contingent of the Indian Armed Forces also marched alongside their counterparts from the French forces in the Bastille Day parade. 

French President Emmanuel Macron bestowed the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour - the highest French honour in military or civilian orders - on PM Modi yesterday. The Prime Minister, who became the first Indian PM to receive the award, thanked President Macron on behalf of the people of India

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Persecution and Discrimination of Hindus in Pakistan

Persecution and Discrimination of Hindus in Pakistan Ranbir Singh, Chair of Hindu Human Rights Group (HHR)

The state-run electronic media, which until recently dominated the opinion building in Pakistan as the only TV channel, PTV, and Pakistan Radio were completely under control of the state, which used to portray India (Hindu) as eternal enemies of Pakistan and Muslims of the entire world. Blaming India for every happening in Pakistan. The stories of atrocities against Kashmiri Muslims in Indian held Kashmir by the Hindu Army were part of regular and essential part of every news bulletin and other programmes of current affairs. The print media, particularly mainstream Urdu newspapers, have also played their role in portraying Hindu as an enemy of Pakistan. This systematic image building has proved poisonous for Pakistani society, particularly it has made the lives of Hindus miserable. Hindus are suspected as agent of RAW and the poor and illiterate Hindus caste people are easy target to implicate in false cases to victims because of their weak socio economic status. Upper class rich Hindus may have been position to escape this attitude on the basis of their wealth, but there is no way out for poor.

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The Blood Review - An independent review into how government engages with faith

The Bloom Reviwe:- Chapter 6: Hindu Nationalism:  Click Here For THE BLOOM REVIEW

Bloom Report Response from the Hindu Perspective by Insight UK 

We appreciate the government's intent behind the independent review examining how the government should engage with faith groups in England. Any such study is of great importance if the UK is to uphold its reputation as a successful, diverse, and multi-faith country, which protects its people's rights to practise their religion, faith or beliefs.

As INSIGHT UK, a social movement of British Hindus and British Indians we broadly welcome the report though feel some issues facing the community have been underestimated and certain reflections about the community need re-examination for they are misinformed and misplaced.

INSIGHT UK is concerned with the rise in anti-Hindu hate as reported all across the country. The cases of attacks and vandalism of our temples are on the rise, as are incidents of targeted grooming and conversions of Hindus. It is worrisome that these anti-Hindu hate incidents are under-reported or misreported. The media bias, gaslighting of Hindu victims by systematically making false allegations against them and victim blaming is an extension of this, and aids the failure to recognise hate crimes against Hindus in this country. In this context, we feel that the report has underestimated the problem of radical Islam and its impact on religious minorities.

We are glad to see the Report identifying the presence and impact of the violent Khalistan movement in the UK, and terror groups like Babbar Khalsa whose members have been given refuge by Pakistan. The recognition of the terror tactics employed by them, such as the extreme content being posted by Khalistan extremists to silence the majority Sikh community, fuelling hate towards the Hindu community and all those who do not subscribe to their violent ideology, is a first step towards eliminating this menace. The issue of Khalistan extremists disturbing peace and posing a serious threat to British Sikhs and British Hindus needs constant monitoring and immediate countermeasures.

The nature of conversions and attempts to convert British Hindus to Christianity as reported in some recent cases have included provocative messaging by aggressive missionaries. The suggestions made are that the Christian faith is the only way to receive forgiveness for one’s sins and the only way to receive eternal life. Mindful of the psychological pressure on individuals subject to such conversion attempts and resultant disharmony among families and the wider Hindu community, we urge that an impact study be conducted on this particular issue.

While we appreciate the importance of addressing extremist ideologies, we believe it is essential to approach the subject matter with accuracy and fairness. We were surprised to find the British Hindu community who have no history of association with any form of extremism, being mentioned at all in Chapter 6 of the the report which deals with faith based extremism The two paragraphs and fifteen lines highlighting ‘Hindu Nationalism’ without a shred of evidence not only seem forced but reflect misinformation, poor research and what could be best described as an attempt to monkey balance and play to a certain gallery.

It is troubling that an independent review would use terms often used by radical elements and Islamists with a history of inciting violence against the British Hindu and British Indian community. ‘Hindu Nationalism’ has been used to gaslight Hindus and especially victims of anti-Hindu hate in UK.

India is the birthplace of Sanatan Dharma, the Hindu faith and philosophy. It is this vibrant religious culture and the extensive stretch of Hindu pilgrimage places across the length and breadth of the country that makes India a sacred geography for all Hindus. The significance of and the connection to the landscape of India for British Hindus and Hindus all over the world is deeply spiritual and beyond the notion of a modern nation state. This connection is vital for all Hindus to enhance and strengthen their spiritual practices and it promotes cultural pride and preservation. The report has grossly misread this natural attachment to what is a holy land for Hindus.

Contrary to an apt example of extremism, the bombing of Air India Flight 182 by Sikh Khalistani extremists, the report mentions ‘extreme Hindu nationalism’ but fails to provide any evidence of extremism linked to this phenomenon. The report thus draws a false equivalence between religious extremism and Hindu nationalism. The allegation is baseless and the recommendations irrelevant. It is worrying that this can perpetuate stereotypes and contribute to the marginalisation of a peaceful community. Hindu faith is founded on principles of peace, compassion, and tolerance.

It is stated that the review is the result of consultations with thousands of faith leaders, however there is no reference to any feedback from Hindu faith leaders in the report, nor to the findings of credible independent think tanks who have studied the victimisation of Hindus in the UK. It is important to know who was consulted in relation to the UK Hindu Faith Community.

Unbelievably the report mentions two references, one a BBC story covering an interview with Majid Freeman, a known extremist and fake news peddler, and another article written by Sunny Hundal who has previously been known to have peddled fake news about the Leicester incident. Not only is this very shallow research, but is deeply problematic because a known Islamist and supporter of radical terror organisations such as ISIS and the Taliban, Majid Freeman, has been cited as a reference. Multiple independent think tanks and our own investigation revealed that Majid Freeman was actively spreading misinformation on social media about the Hindu community, potentially triggering further unrest, tension and violence against Hindus.

The other name cited is Sunny Hundal (extreme left-leaning journalist, former deputy editor for the Independent), who was one of the many others on social media stoking the flames of religious hatred by falsely equating the cricket fans as Hindus, the Hindu community, and nonexistent Hindu extremists. Warnings were made on social media that violence will soon be coming from the Muslim community. Nothing against Muslims or Islam had been uttered, but the false narrative spread like wildfire

There have been reports from reputable sources that clearly demonstrate the role of Islamists and the weaponisation of social media to incite further hate against the Hindus by spreading lies. On the contrary the recent Leicester incident was proven to have no links to Hindu nationalism by both UK and international research organisations. Sharing three reports and our own investigations which establish these links and the victimisation of Hindus:

1. Hindu-Muslim civil unrest in Leicester: “Hindutva” and the creation of a false narrative by the Henry Jackson Society: https:// henryjacksonsociety.org/publications/hindu-muslim-civil-unrestin-leicester-hindutva-and-the-creation-of-a-false-narrative/

1. Cyber Social Swarming Precedes Real World Riots in Leicester:

How Social Media Became a Weapon for Violence by the Network Contagion Research Institute Report (NCRI): https:// networkcontagion.us/reports/11-16-22-cyber-social-swarmingprecedes-real-world-riots-in-leicester-how-social-media-becamea-weapon-for-violence/?ref=quillette.com

1. Fact-finding report on Leicester violence 2022 by The Centre for Democracy Pluralism and Human Rights (CDPHR): https:// www.cdphr.org/Report-Final.pdf

2. How fake news was spread to incite hate and attacks on Hindus in Leicester- https://insightuk.org/how-fake-news-was-used-toincite-hate-and-attacks-on-hindus

We would like to emphasise the need for balanced and evidence-based reporting. It is crucial to provide accurate information to the public and policymakers, as inaccurate or biased reports can have far-reaching consequences. Such reports can lead to further stigmatisation, discrimination, and a negative impact on interfaith relations.

We kindly request that you reconsider the inclusion of Hindu nationalism as a major issue in your report unless there is compelling evidence to substantiate such claims. By doing so, you would be taking an important step towards ensuring that your report accurately reflects the realities of the current global threat landscape.

We request a meeting with you to discuss at length the Hindu community’s concerns. Thank you for your attention to this matter. We trust that you will give due consideration to the issues raised and our requests. We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Best Regards, INSIGHT UK Team

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Open Letter To The BBC - Oct 2022

The misinformation that has circulated on social media sites regarding these attacks has portrayed the Hindu community as perpetrators of this violence.  Much of it has been instigated by the actual offenders, Islamists who wish to destabilise the peaceful co-existence of diverse religions, and worse still, increase the incidence of Hinduphobia in our communities.

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How Fake News Was Used To Incite Hate And Attack Hindus In Leicester

The impact of targeted and deliberate fake news is clear to see. The Hindu community in Leicester were targeted, attacked and are now living in fear for their safety. Many families have left their homes that are in the so-called “Muslim area”, still waiting to return.

Many houses and properties of Hindus were damaged. Two Hindu men survived an attack with knives, many were injured including women and one man who was hospitalised and in critical condition. 

The Hindus of the area remain in fear after weeks of violence and intimidation. The Hindus in the impacted area did not leave their house and did not send their children to school for 3 to 4 days last week. Some families have left their homes out of fear of violence, and are yet to return. The local Hindus have removed Aum symbols and the words ‘Shubh Labh’ from the front of their homes. Devotees of Mata ji, the mother Goddess, have removed any photos that were on display in their windows and cars so that the houses or cars cannot be recognised as Hindu s from the street to safeguard from the recurrence of targeted attacks.

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BBC documentary on PM Modi 'badly researched', doesn't represent UK govt's view: British MP

New Delhi: BBC documentary on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi “is a hatchet job. It was poor journalism, badly researched and casts smears against PM Modi which are completely unjustified,” says UK MP Bob Blackman.

The lawmaker further said the broadcaster (BBC) “does not represent views of the British government.”

Speaking to News18, Blackman said the two episode docu-series also “sought to demonstrate that the Indian judicial system could not be trusted and I am afraid that the judicial system in India is based on the British system, completely separate from politics and completely independent.”

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Tribute to Jay Lakhani: British Hindus reflect on his enduring legacy that will live on for generations

heoretical physicist and global speaker Shri (Dilip) Jay Lakhani passed away peacefully at home on December 4, aged 72. It was a sad day for the British Hindu community as they bade farewell to the adored and well-respected scholar and pioneer of Hindu studies in the UK.

Author of 'Hinduism for Schools' (2005), 'Primary Hinduism' (2006), 'Special Times: Hinduism' (2009) and 'A Journey Through Life in Hinduism' (2010), Lakhani was the first Hindu tutor at Eton College and was known for his popular GCSE and A-Level Hinduism classes, which he ran up and down the country.

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A Case Study of Religious Harmony and Dialogue

Among many examples of positive progress towards religious harmony and mutual respect is BAPS – a socio-spiritual organisation which has led the effort to bring about dialogue between different faiths and promote the values of unity in diversity.

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The Christian population in the UK has declined, for the first time, below the 50 percent mark

The Christian population in the UK  has declined, for the first time, below the 50 percent mark.

UK population by religion - In one of the most notable takeaways from the latest census data released by Britain, the UK's Muslim population has shown a 'rapid' rise, even as the Christian population has declined, for the first time, below the 50 percent mark. Interestingly, there is also a sizeable portion of the Hindu population in the UK - the UK population data has shown. This is the first time that the country's official religion - Christianity - has been followed by a minority population.

According to the excerpts of the data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), some 46.2% of the population of England and Wales described themselves as Christian on the day of the 2021 census, down from 59.3% a decade earlier. The Muslim population grew from 4.9% to 6.5% of the population, even as 1.7% identified as Hindu, up from 1.5% - news agency PTI cited.

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I have experienced racism in my life, says UK PM Rishi Sunak

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has revealed that he experienced racism growing up in the UK but the country has made incredible progress since then in confronting the issue. 

The British Indian leader was speaking to reporters on Thursday night in the wake of a racism row at Buckingham Palace, which saw the resignation of Prince William's godmother after it emerged that the senior palace aide had repeatedly questioned a black British charity worker about where she was "really from". .

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How British colonialism killed 100 million Indians in 40 years

Between 1880 to 1920, British colonial policies in India claimed more lives than all famines in the Soviet Union, Maoist China and North Korea combined.

Recent years have seen a resurgence in nostalgia for the British empire. High-profile books such as Niall Ferguson’s Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World, and Bruce Gilley’s The Last Imperialist, have claimed that British colonialism brought prosperity and development to India and other colonies. Two years ago, a YouGov poll found that 32 percent of people in Britain are actively proud of the nation’s colonial history.

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British Indians protest outside Pakistan High Commission on 26/11 anniversary

The Indian diaspora in Britain protested outside Pakistan High Commission in London on 26/11 anniversary. Protesters shouted slogans against Pakistan over the cross-border terrorism emanating from the country. They said Pakistan is not only responsible for 26/11 but numerous other terror attacks across the world. On 26 November 2008, 10 terrorists belonging to the Lashkar-E-Taiba terror group killed 166 people in Mumbai. 9 terrorists were killed by security forces, while one attacker Kasab was sentenced to death

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Indian activists who helped change the face of modern Britain

As Britain looked to recover and rebuild after the devastation of World War Two it turned to the Commonwealth.

But many of the migrants who filled crucial jobs amid labour shortages routinely encountered racism and discrimination. 

Two friends who arrived in the country just before the war would go on to play major roles in changing the face of modern Britain.

\Image:- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-58627849

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Oxford Hinduphobia row: Rashmi Samant vindicated as internal investigation confirms how she was vilified, harassed and forced to resign

Months after the first female Indian President-elect of Oxford University Student’s Union, Rashmi Samant, was vilified and forced to resign from her post, an internal investigation by the university has vindicated her. The lawyer of Samant, Adithya Srinivasan, took to Twitter to inform that an internal investigation by Oxford University has confirmed that Samant was indeed a victim of bullying and vilification.

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Dr [Abhijit] Sarkar

The letter, signed by BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha UK, Hindu Council UK, Hindu Forum of Britain Hindu, Swayamsevak Sangh (UK), Indian National Students Association (UK), National Council of Hindu Temples (NCHTUK), National Hindu Students' Forum (UK), and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (UK), calls on the Cabinet minister to urgently investigate serious concerns of religious hate speech and take action over any breach of visa guidelines as a result.

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Did a group of UK MPs mislead the Britsh Parliament?

Did a group of UK MPs mislead the Britsh Parliament by paraphrasing the India's opposition politians without any basic research whatsoever? 

 

HuffPost > Systemic Hindutva Violence Waged On Muslims In India Sanctioned By BJP Govt: Indian-Origin British MP

 

The Express Tripbue > India comes under fire in British parliament over CAA, Delhi riots

 

How the British Public funded BBC and British Media failed to report imparially that BOTH Hindus and Muslims were killed during the fatal riots? 

 

Is the British media, in this case, in breach of impartiality by paraphrasing the Indian opposition politicians without due resarch? 

 

BBC > Delhi riots: How Muslims' homes were targeted and burnt

 

The Guardian > Inside Delhi: beaten, lynched and burnt alive (Hannah EllisPetersen)

 

BBC > Delhi riots: 'No-one who saw the photo thought I would survive'

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Man fighting for life with Covid-19 when he heard tragic news his dad had lost fight with virus

A Leicester man has revealed how he was fighting for his life in hospital with Covid-19 when he was told his father had passed away from the same virus.

In February, Sanjiv Patel was warned by his brother - a doctor in Australia - about the impact coronavirus would have across the world.

He prepared for a change to his daily life ahead of the lockdown, but told LeicestershireLive he “never expected to get it and nothing could prepare [him]” for how it affected him and his family.

Image > LeicestershireLive 

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Labour MP demands withdrawal of UK Labour Party's 'divisive' resolution on Kashmir

Labour Party MP, Keith Vaz,  points out that the resolution had been passed without the approval of the party`s ruling National Executive Committee or the party leader Jeremy Corbyn, despite unanimously passed at the party Conference Brigton

"I have therefore written to the Chair of the NEC, Andi Fox, and to the Leader of the Party, Jeremy Corbyn, asking them to recall the motion and hold a proper debate at the NEC to adopt a common Party position that does not divide our communities", Vaz added.

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How Britain's opium trade impoverished Indians

In Amitav Ghosh's acclaimed novel, Sea of Poppies, a village woman from an opium-producing region in India has a vivid encounter with poppy seed.  "She looked at the seed as if she has never seen one before, and suddenly she knew that it was not the planet above that governed her life; it was this minuscule orb - at once beautiful and all-devouring, merciful and destructive, sustaining and vengeful."

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Cricket, it has famously been said, is an Indian game accidentally invented by the English.

By a curious historical irony, a sport that was the exclusive preserve of colonial elite is now the national passion of the formerly colonised. What is equally extraordinary is that India has become world cricket's sole superpower. It is a status much savoured by contemporary Indians, for whom their cricket team is the nation. They regard "team India" as a symbol of national unity, and its players a reflection of the country's diversity.

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Sam Manekshaw: Why is this Indian war hero trending?

An announcement that a Bollywood film will be made on Indian war hero Sam Manekshaw has seen him trend on social media 11 years after his death. Manekshaw is arguably India's best-known army general. He was the chief of the Indian army during the 1971 war with Pakistan, which led to the creation of Bangladesh, formerly East Pakistan.

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Theresa May expresses 'regret' for 1919 Amritsar massacre

However, PM stops short of apologising for killings by British troops who opened fire on the crowd of defenceless men, women and children.

On 13 April 1919, a crowd gathered at Jallianwala Bagh, a public garden, including families having picnics and people protesting about the deportation of a pair of nationalist leaders. Many were unaware there was a ban on public gatherings in the city, which had been placed under the direct rule of the British Indian army to curb recent unrest.

 

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