London, UK — INSIGHT UK has raised serious concerns over the treatment of Hindu pupils at Vicar’s Green Primary School, London, citing religious discrimination that ultimately resulted in at least 4 children leaving the school.
INSIGHT UK understands the latest case involves an eight-year-old pupil who was challenged by school staff over wearing a Tilak-Chandlo, a sacred Hindu religious symbol worn on the forehead. INSIGHT UK states that the handling of the matter caused significant distress to the child and his family, leaving the parents with no option but to move him to another school.
“The Tilak-Chandlo is not a cosmetic or cultural accessory — it is an integral religious observance for many Hindus” said an INSIGHT UK spokesperson. “Preventing a child from practising their faith, or making them feel ashamed or intimidated for doing so, is wholly unacceptable in a modern, multicultural Britain.”
Sacred Religious Practice Mischaracterised
INSIGHT UK expressed deep concern that the Tilak-Chandlo was reportedly referred to as a “skin mark” or “skin marking” by the school — language the organisation described as deeply offensive, dismissive and culturally insensitive.
“For over one billion Hindus worldwide, sacred markings such as the Tilak-Chandlo, Bindi, Tikka, Tripundra etc. are integral expressions of faith,” the spokesperson added. “To trivialise or mislabel such practices in an educational setting reflects a troubling lack of religious literacy.”
Distressing Treatment of a Child
INSIGHT UK also raised safeguarding concerns, stating that the child was reportedly asked by school staff to explain and justify his religious practice — an approach the organisation described as entirely inappropriate for a minor.
More seriously, it is alleged that the Headteacher monitored the child during break times in a manner the child found intimidating, leading him to withdraw from play and isolate himself from peers.
“No child should feel watched, singled out, or isolated because of their faith, especially not from a person of authority” INSIGHT UK said. “Such experiences can have lasting emotional impacts and raise serious safeguarding questions.”
Removal From School Roles
It was also reported that the pupil was removed from positions of responsibility within the school solely because of his religious practice, an act INSIGHT UK says constitutes direct religious discrimination under the Equality Act 2010, where religion is a protected characteristic.
School Leadership and Governors Unwilling to Understand
INSIGHT UK further states that the parents of the pupil, along with other Hindu parents, made repeated and reasonable attempts to educate and engage the Headteacher and school Governors on the religious significance of Hindu practices, including the Tilak-Chandlo. Rather than engaging constructively, INSIGHT UK felt these efforts were dismissed with unacceptable answers, with school leadership demonstrating an unwillingness to acknowledge or understand Hindu religious observance.
More concerningly, INSIGHT UK understands that the Headteacher and Governors challenged and questioned Hindu practices themselves, behaving as though they possessed greater authority or understanding of the faith than practising Hindus and parents. This approach not only displayed a lack of cultural and religious sensitivity, but also reflected a dismissive attitude towards lived religious experience and parental testimony.
“This was not a good-faith dialogue — it was an imbalance of power, where Hindu religious practices were minimised and ultimately rejected”, said an INSIGHT UK spokesperson.
INSIGHT UK says this refusal to engage meaningfully with Hindu parents significantly contributed to the breakdown of trust and left the family with no confidence that their child’s religious rights or wellbeing would be respected at the school.
Legal and Human Rights Concerns
INSIGHT UK states that the reported actions may breach:
- The Equality Act 2010, which prohibits discrimination by schools on grounds of religion;
- The Public Sector Equality Duty, requiring schools to foster equality and good relations;
- Department for Education guidance, which permits religious expression in schools where there is no health or safeguarding risk;
- The Human Rights Act 1998, including the right to freedom of religion and protection from discrimination.
“There is no legal, safeguarding, or educational basis for prohibiting Hindu religious symbols worn on the forehead,” the organisation said.
Calls for Immediate Action
INSIGHT UK has formally called on Vicar’s Green Primary School to:
- Cease all discriminatory restrictions on Hindu religious practices;
- Confirm that Hindu pupils may wear the Tilak-Chandlo, Bindi, Tikka and similar religious symbols;
- Ensure no child is intimidated, monitored, or disadvantaged because of their faith;
- Review school policies and staff training to ensure compliance with equality and safeguarding laws.
“This case is not just about one child,” the spokesperson concluded. “It is about whether Hindu children in Britain can practise their faith without fear, exclusion, or humiliation. Equality before the law must apply to all.”
In the media
- NDTV World: Hindu Student, 8, “Forced To Leave” London School Over ‘Applying Tilak’
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/hindu-student-8-forced-to-leave-london-school-over-applying-tilak-10789088 - Times of India: Hindu parents remove son from London primary school in row over tilak-chandlo https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/uk-hindu-parents-remove-son-from-london-primary-school-in-row-over-tilak-chandlo/articleshow/126859619.cms
- Economic Times: Eight-year-old Hindu student forced to change London school over ‘Tilak’
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/eight-year-old-hindu-student-forced-to-change-london-school-over-tilak-chandlo/articleshow/126778563.cms - FirstPost: Hindu student forced to leave UK school over tilak. Is it a case of discrimination?
Article: https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/hindu-student-forced-to-leave-uk-school-over-tilak-is-it-a-case-of-discrimination-13970546.html
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNCg-e38e2U - NewsXLive: Tilak Turns Controversial: How a Hindu Child Was Forced Out of a UK School https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNQK0zVc0i8
