Amid multiple incidents of communal violence against the Hindu community in the United Kingdom in the last few days, the members of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Saturday gathered outside the United Kingdom’s Embassy in New Delhi to register their protest against the attacks happening in Leicester, Birmingham, and Smethwick.
The VHP leaders and hundreds of members were staging a protest and trying to meet the senior officials working at the UK Embassy. The VHP strongly condemned the recent attacks on the Hindu community living in the UK.
It also urged the UK government to immediately look into the issue and take stringent possible action against the Islamic gangs involved. The VHP leaders and members staged a protest in an effort to meet the officials working at the UK Embassy. The VHP condemned the recent attacks on the Hindu community living in the UK.
VHP termed these attacks on the Hindu community as “jihadi mentality”, the VHP leaders said that this protest is to put forward our demand to UK authorities to protect the interests of the Indian diaspora living in their country. The VHP demonstration in Delhi came after protestors in the UK were seen vandalizing Hindu temples and shouting anti-Hindu slogans.
“A Member of Parliament in the UK wrote to govt no Hindu ceremonies will be held. They didn’t listen to us. For world peace, Britain should stop inclining toward Islamic terrorists,” said VHP chief Alok Kumar.
VHP writes to UK PM Liz Truss, seeks action
Earlier on September 21, in view of the communal attacks, the VHP wrote to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Liz Truss, and sought appropriate action against the attackers. In its letter, VHP pointed out that anti-Hindu forces are trying to portray the recent attacks on Hindus as if the Hindus of the area had triggered the violence, and they were responsible for the same.
“The Vishva Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) is deeply concerned and alarmed at the ongoing violence in Leicester in which a large number of Hindus of Leicester, their places of worship, and their cultural and religious symbols have been wantonly targeted and damaged by Islamic extremists and hoodlums,” the group had said.
“These violent, hateful, and extremist acts are entirely unidirectional and unilateral. However, a strong but false narrative is being constructed that it is the Hindus of that area, who triggered this wanton violence, and are responsible for the same,” the letter had read.
VHP had said that several Hindus had been assaulted, and numerous Hindu places of worship in Leicester had been vandalized. The group said Hindus are being terrorized to remove symbols of their heritage, traditions, culture, and religion.
“Many houses and properties of Hindus have been damaged. Many Hindus living in the impacted area have not sent their kids to school for several days now,” the group had said.
Meanwhile, the Indian government has also raised the matter of violence against the Indian community in Leicester and has sought action from the UK authorities against the perpetrators of the attacks, informed External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
The cycle of violence was triggered on August 28 after India won the Asia Cup T20 match against Pakistan. A clash broke out among groups of young men in Leicestershire, according to the police statement. At least 15 people have been arrested so far in the matter.
Various videos and reports have been circulating on social media about organized gangs seen vandalizing and terrorizing Hindus in the UK’s Leicester City. The incident follows a spate of violence and disorder in the eastern part of the city.
On Monday, Indian High Commission in the UK condemned the violence perpetrated against the Indian community in Leicester and sought immediate action against those involved in the attacks.
The High Commission had issued a statement saying it has taken up the matter with the UK authorities.
“We strongly condemn the violence perpetrated against the Indian Community in Leicester and vandalization 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. We call on the authorities to provide protection to the affected people,” the statement had read.
