Failing Liberty: Tolerating intolerance is breaking Britain
14th October 2022
Dear Prime Minister,
Failing Liberty: Tolerating intolerance is breaking Britain.Â
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.Â
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.Â
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.Â
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.Â
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;Â
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.Â
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.Â
Thank You
Signatory Hindu community organisations and temples
- Advocacy for British Hindus & Indians (ABHI), UK
- Anand Milan Centre, Bradford
- ANKUR, Merseyside
- Arya Samaj (Vedic Mission) West Midlands
- Aryan Cultural Society
- Aylesbury Hindu Temple Trust
- BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Sanstha UK
- Basingstoke Hindu Society
- Bengali Hindu Adarsh Sangh UK (BHAS UK)
- Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Manchester
- Bihari Community
- Bihari Connect UK Ltd
- Bolton Hindu Forum
- Bolton Indians Sports and Social Club
- Bradford Bengali Hindu Cultural Society
- Bradford Hindu Council
- British Hindu Voice (BHV)
- Bromley Temple Trust
- Charotar Patidar Samaj, Leicester
- Chelmsford Hindu Society
- City Hindus Network
- Derby Hindus
- Derby Kannadigaru
- Dr. Ambedkar UK Mission (AUM)
- East Midlands Hindu Samajam
- Edinburgh Hindu Mandir & Cultural Centre
- Friends of India Society International (FISI), UK
- Friends of Madhya Pradesh UK Chapter
- Gayatri Pariwar UK Croydon
- Gita Bhawan Hindu Temple Manchester
- Gita Foundation
- Global Hindu Federation Ltd
- Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora
- Greater Manchester Bengali Hindu Cultural Association (GMBHCA)
- Greater Manchester Malayalee Hindu Community
- Greenwich Hindu Temple
- Gujarati Association Wolverhampton
- Gujarati Rajput Samaj UK, Birmingham
- Gurjar Hindu Union, Crawley
- HCRC Durga Bhawan, Smethwick
- Hindu Cultural Association (Mata Da Mandir), Dudley
- Hindu Cultural Organization’s Radha Krishna Temple, Liverpool
- Hindu Cultural Society, Slough Hindu Temple
- Hindu Cultural Society Grimsby
- Hindu Cultural Society of Cleveland
- Hindu Education Forum
- Hindu Forum of Europe
- Hindu Forum Walsall
- Hindu Lawyers Association (UK)
- Hindu Mandir Network UK
- Hindu Matters in Britain
- Hindu Medical Association UK
- Hindu Punjabi Sabha
- Hindu Samaj Swindon
- Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (UK)
- Hindu Temple Geeta Bhawan Derby
- Hindu Temple Society Coventry
- Hindu Think Tank UK (HindusinUK)
- Hindu Youth Association
- HinduNaree
- IDUK Group (Indian Diaspora in the UK)
- Indian Association Oldham
- Indian Community Centre, Belfast
- Indian Hindu Welfare Organisation, Northampton
- Indian National Students Association UK
- Indians in London
- INSIGHT UK
- Inspiring Indian Women (IIW)
- Institute of Jainology
- International Centre for Cultural Studies (ICCS UK)
- International Dogra Society
- ISKCON Manchester
- Jain Yog & Meditation Centre
- Jammu Kashmir Study Center UK
- Kannada Balaga Swindon
- Kannada Hindu Organisation UK (KAHO UK)
- Kashmiri Pandit Association of Europe (KPAE)
- Kent Telugu Community
- Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, Belfast
- Leeds Durga Puja and Diwali Association
- Leeds Pragati Mandal
- Leuva Patidar Samaj Leicester
- Liverpool Ganesh Temple
- Lohana Community East London
- London Institute of Vedic Education
- Lord Rama Krishna Temple Warrington
- Luitporia Nasoni and NEICCUK
- Maher Community Association, Leicester
- Maheshwari Mahasabha UK (MMUK)
- Manchester Marathi Mandal
- Mandir Baba Balak Nath, Walsall
- Mangalam HCRG
- Namaste Group for Elderly, Leeds
- National Council of Hindu Temples
- National Council of Kerala Hindu Heritage UK
- National Hindu Students’ Forum (UK)
- NCGO National Council of Gujarati Organisations UK
- Newcastle Upon Tyne Hindu Temple
- North West Marathi Organisation (NORWEMA)
- North West Telugu Sangam (UK)
- Odia Cultural Association London (OCAL)
- Odisha Society of UK
- Odiya Samaj of Midlands
- Organisation of Hindu Malayalees (UK)
- Overseas Friends of BJP (UK)
- Pushti Nidhi UK Ltd (Shreeji Dham Haveli)
- Ramdevpir bhajan mandal
- REACH India Group
- Reading Hindu Centre
- Sadgmaya Foundation
- Sale Indian Cultural Society
- Sampark Bharati
- Sanatan Hindu Cultural Society, Sutton
- Sangamam UK
- Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence
- Saraswati cultural organisation, Birmingham
- Sharodiya Basingstoke
- Shivalaya – The Leicestershire Brahma Samaj Leicester
- Shree Bharatiya Mandal, Tameside, Ashton-under-Lyne
- Shree Damania Machhi Mahajan Leicester
- Shree Gujarati Hindu Centre – Shree Krishna Temple Dudley
- Shree Hanuman Temple, Leicester
- Shree Jagannatha Society UK
- Shree Kalyan Mandal, Rugby
- Shree Krishan Mandir Wolverhampton
- Shree Krishna Mandir, West Bromwich
- Shree Krishna Resource Centre
- Shree Kutch Leva Patel Community (Bolton)
- Shree Navdurga Association UK
- Shree Prajapati Association Birmingham
- Shree Prajapati Association Leicester
- Shree Ram Mandir (Walsall)
- Shree Ram Mandir / Shree Jalaram Bhajan Mandal, ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE
- Shree Ram Mandir, Birmingham
- Shree Ram Mandir, Southall
- Shree Sanatan Seva Samaj
- Shree Sarvodaya Samaj UK
- Shree Shree Radha Krishna Cultural Centre, Coventry
- Shree Sorathia Prajapati Community UK (SSPC)
- Shree Swaminarayan Temple Cardiff
- Shri Pashupatinath Mandir Of UK
- Shri Sorathia Prajapati Community (SSPC) Bolton
- Shri Vallabh Nidhi UK – Sanatan Hindu Mandir Wembley
- SKS Swaminarayan Temple – East London
- Slough Mitra Mandal
- South Asian Cinema Foundation (SACF)
- South Indian Association
- Speaking Bharat
- Sri Padmavathi Srinivasa Kent Hindu Temple (SPSKHT)
- Sri Raja Rajeswary Amman Temple, Stoneleigh
- Sutton Mitra Mandal
- Swaminarayan Mandir Vasna Sanstha (SMVS ) UK
- SwIndians
- Swindon Ayyappa Pooja Group
- Swindon Hindu Centre
- Swindon Hindu Temple
- Swindon Puja Committee
- Swindon Tamil Association
- Telugu Community Association
- The British Hindu Press Association
- The Hindu Initiative for Global Harmony, Oldbury
- The Hindu Temple, Bristol
- The India League
- The National Council of Hindu Priests UK
- UK Telugu Hindu Organisation
- United Hindu Cultural Association London
- Upton Hindu Community Association
- Uttar Pradesh Community Association (UPCA) UK
- Vasavi Club International
- Vedic Organisation for Indian Culture and Education (VOICE), Manchester
- Vedicca London
- VHP Ilford Hindu Centre and Mandir
- Vichaar Manthan UK
- Vishwa Hindu Parishad (UK), Bolton – Veda Mandir
- Vishwa Hindu Parishad UK
- Vishwa Hindu Parishad UK – Yorkshire
- Voice of Dogras
- Wellingborough District Hindu Association
- West Midlands Hindu Forum
- Yog Foundation
- Yog-Kulam UK