Open letter to the prime minister of the UK

14th October 2022

Dear Prime Minister,

Failing Liberty: Tolerating intolerance is breaking Britain. 

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. 

The Hindu community has made the United Kingdom it’s home for more than half a century. 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. 

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. This Hindu community now lives in a state of fear. While some families have already left the neighbourhood, many more are preparing to relocate. It is worth noting that a small, but 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. A storm of misinformation was wilfully created on social media with open incitement for violence against Hindus. As a consequence of this vicious campaign, numerous Hindus were physically assaulted, Hindu homes targeted and cars which showed any Hindu symbolism were vandalised. While the media widely reported it as a clash between the two faith communities, it failed to explain why the damage suffered was almost exclusively by the Hindus. It is frightening for the beleaguered Hindu community of Leicester to see that the perpetrators of these crimes are still walking freely. 

Those who dared to speak the truth in the press and on social media were threatened.  Many Hindu speakers from Leicester who spoke to the media now live in fear and have had to seek police protection while carrying panic alarms at all times.  Sections of the Hindu community are, in practice, being deprived of the basic rights of freedom of speech and freedom of religion which are central to our liberal way of life.

It is worth noting that the police, although slow to react, have by and large performed their duty to the best of their ability, but failed to protect Hindus with certain events which took place. The Hindu community dreads the time when extra police patrolling is lifted. 

Our appeal

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;

Third, to commission an independent investigation into anti-Hindu hatred and its causes, which will go a long way in raising awareness of this problem amongst the key institutions of our society;

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 the long-term, including sufficient security during the celebration of Diwali around the UK.

The above proposals and/or recommendations will go a long way in repairing the damage that has been done to so many by an extremist few. 

We truly hope that you will take our concerns seriously and act upon our appeal. We are prepared to work shoulder-to-shoulder with you to make our country a leading light in the world. 

Thank You

Signatory Hindu community organisations and temples