HINDUS living in
Britain do not want to be described as “Asian”, according to a big study of the community.
Instead, they want to be known as British Indian, Hindu — or even Desi, a Hindi word growing in popularity with the young that means being rooted in one’s home country. At the time of the 2001 Census the Hindu population in
Britain had reached nearly 550,000.
The report, Connecting British Hindus, to be published in the Commons today, was funded by the Government and carried out by the Runnymede Trust and the Hindu Forum.
It found concern about a “general assumption” that any brown-skinned Asian person was Muslim and shows that Hindus feel neglected, marginalised and misunderstood.
For full article
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2264215,00.html
Report can be downloaded from here
http://www.pickledpolitics.com/pictures/documents/connecting_british_hindus.pdf
When I looked on report and on article it’s seem like government is planning to do some thing for Hindu & Sikh community in UK which is in my opinion is correct and very nice gesture of UK government to help Hindu and Sikh community to easily integrate with British multi faith and multicultural society. Because when ever I listen or see, the government of
UK is much more concerned about British Muslims, because of this fact other so called Asian community feeling neglected. When ever you watch a program on TV or listen BBC channel about Asian community it’s always shows you Muslim culture, talk about Muslim culture that’s the reason in Britain today Hindu and Sikhs feels neglected and alienated.
Like for example if you go to hospital if you are Muslim you will be able to get Halal food, while if you Hindu and vegetarian (or say ‘Vaishnava Hindu) can’t eat food with onion and garlic, you wont be able to get food why? Because people in hospitals, don’t understand about our culture and traditions.
Hindus in
Leicester are trying to build crematorium, but till now they haven’t got permission from council, while if you want construct a Mosque you will permission straight away right?
In Leicester Muslims can be buried in their own cemetery within 24 hours to fit in with their religious requirements, while Hindus have been asking for their own crematorium for 20 years.
When government talks about racisms they talk Islam phobia and attack against Muslim community, I had never heard they talk about racisms again British Hindu and Sikh community why? Hindus and Sikhs are also targeted by some idiot’s racist’s people on every day basis. But no one talks about it? Reason is simple in my opinion, simple you shout and you get noticed if you don’t shout you won’t get noticed.
Britain is multicultural and multi faith country but it doesn’t mean cultural parity. Multiculturalism does give you space and right to follow your own tradition and culture.
So in end it about Identity among Hindus & Sikhs living in
UK and in other countries around the world.
Hopefully in future we will see some more efforts form governments to tackle this problem, which help Hindus & Sikhs community here to integrate with British society easily.
