The Hindu Manifesto UK 2024 was recently launched by the Hindus for Democracy umbrella organisation. The manifesto has been framed by major Hindu organisations across the UK, including INSIGHT UK, NHSF UK, HSS, Hindu Council UK and many more.
This iGlobal series digs deeper, chapter by chapter, through each of the issues highlighted in the first-of-its-kind Hindu Manifesto 2024 – Part 1 focussed on tackling “Anti-Hindu Hate”…
The Hindu community has faced many cases of anti-Hindu hate (also referred to as anti-Hinduism or Hindumisia or Hinduphobia) in the UK, including but not limited to workplaces, public spaces and schools. However, unfortunately, there has been no recognition of these injustices as religious hate crimes. Several think tanks and social research forums have advocated defining ‘Anti-Hindu hate’ (or similar terms) and categorising this as a hate crime
Working definition of Hinduphobia:
- A set of antagonistic, destructive and derogatory attitudes and behaviours towards Sanatan Dharma
- A rhetoric that reduced Sanatan Dharma to a rigid and aggressive tradition
- A discourse which denies the persecution of Hindus while disproportionately painting Hindus as violent.
- The complete range of [Anti-Hindu hate] Hinduphobic acts extends from microaggressions to genocide. Hinduphobic projects include the destruction and desecration of Hindu sacred spaces; aggressive and forced proselytisation of Hindu populations; targeted violence towards Hindu people, community institutions, and organisations; and ethnic cleansing and genocide
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The manifesto calls to recognise anti-Hindu hate as a religious hate crime and combat it accordingly. It also calls for comprehensive strategies to tackle hate crimes targeting religious and ethnic groups, through enhancing law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute hate crimes, providing support services for victims, and implementing educational programs to promote acceptance, tolerance and diversity.
Recent reports indicate that extremism is a growing threat in the UK, with several organisations promoting separatism, terrorism, religious intolerance and violence against UK Hindus and Indians, as well as acts of terrorism aimed at destabilising India.
The UK Hindu community's deep cultural, religious, and emotional ties to India mean that any attack on India not only undermines its sovereignty but also deeply affects the emotional well-being of UK Hindus.
The manifesto concludes that there is a need to monitor and proscribe these violent organisations.
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Manifesto expectations from candidates contesting in the General Elections 2024:
1. Recognise anti-Hindu hate as a religious hate crime
2. Supporting and initiating actions against all forms of racism and hate crimes including hate speech against faith and ethnic groups.
3. Monitoring and proscribing the organisations in the UK that are engaged in violence against Hindus and attacking the sovereignty and integrity of India, including but not limited to ‘Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front’, ‘LeT’, ‘Sikhs for Justice’.
*More Info: Hindu Manifesto 2024