Uk Hindus Appeal For Recognition

[lsingh]

Last Updated: Tuesday, 11 July 2006, 02:18 GMT 03:18 UK

UK Hindus appeal for recognition

By Emily Buchanan

BBC world affairs correspondent

Hindus feel the government has taken them for granted

Hindus living in Britain feel they are ignored while other groups are being listened to, a survey claims.

The survey commissioned by the Hindu Forum of Britain questioned 700 Hindus online and conducted phone interviews and focus groups.

It also found that most Hindus do not like being called Asian, preferring the religious label Hindu.

Britain's 500,000 Hindus are the country's third largest religious group, after Christians and Muslims.

The survey of Hindus in Britain, written by the Runnymede Trust, is due to be launched by communities secretary Ruth Kelly on Tuesday.

Taken for granted

Behind the peaceful exterior there is an undercurrent of growing frustration in British Hindu communities.

Chandu Mattani came to Leicester from Zambia 30 years ago and he now runs a sari and music shop in the Belgrave Road - known as the Golden Mile because of its role in regenerating Leicester's economy.

His generation has been patient and well-integrated but even he wonders whether Hindus should now be more assertive.

The youth will become militant if the authorities don't address their needs

Vinod Popat

"We don't request loudly - those who shout, they get what they want."

The relative success and industriousness of Hindus is now being questioned by the second and third generations.

They feel government has taken them for granted for too long.

Priti Raichura is a member of the Hindu Youth Forum.

"We've offered a lot to the British economy, we've worked extra hours, we've not taken handouts like some other groups and we want recognition for that - we want the government to call us British Hindus."

For years the large number of immigrants to Leicester from the sub-continent were called Asian, but that collective Asian identity just does not fit anymore.

Increasingly Hindus are saying they don't want to be under the same ethnic umbrella. They want to be recognised for their distinct contribution to Britain.

A big grievance is over public funding and support.

Provoking conflict

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.

The government should be mindful of the way Hindus feel marginalised

Steve White

Vinod Popat, who runs Midlands Asian TV, feels that the older, politer generation is in danger of losing control of the youth, if nothing is done now to listen to Hindu demands.

"The youth will become militant if the authorities don't address their needs," he said.

So as Hindus begin to flex their political muscle, they realise they need to be seen as a separate faith group and not confused with Muslims.

It is an extremely sensitive issue.

One man who has worked for community cohesion in Leicester for 20 years, Steve White, said there was a danger of provoking community conflict if one group felt ignored.

"The government should be mindful of the way Hindus feel marginalised."

But he also feels Hindus must not go too far down the road of a separate faith identity, in case they also lose their ability to integrate well into society.

The government has responded, saying the report raises important issues, and it praises the Hindu contribution to society.

[Guest PunjabSingh]

Not only this Bahmans are now asking for a Hindu Mandir Prabandhak commitee on the lines of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee.

[Guest Narinder Singh]

Every community should be recognized for their contributions but i dont think Hindus have protrayed themselves as distinctly as they should have in the Western world. I never hear of or see a Hindu wearing a juneo or tilak and i've never heard of a Hindu saying "im proud to be Hindu". It is up to the Hindus to demand recognition.

The youth will become militant if the authorities don't address their needs

Hmmmm....

[jassa]

wait dont they want to be called indian ?????

:|

[Guest Narinder Singh]

Not only this Bahmans are now asking for a Hindu Mandir Prabandhak commitee on the lines of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee.

What's wrong with having a Hindu commitee that takes care of Mandirs? Lets focus more on what we're doing for our religion rather than talking smack about people who actually care enough to do something for their religion (although i must admit that Hindus havent done much for their religion).

[kurtas]

I wonder where the BBC get their facts from. There are more than 600,000 people who profess to being of the Sikh faith in the UK, so how are the Hindus with 500,000 the third largest religious group in the UK.

[Guest PunjabSingh]

I wonder where the BBC get their facts from. There are more than 600,000 people who profess to being of the Sikh faith in the UK, so how are the Hindus with 500,000 the third largest religious group in the UK.

Perhaps BBC considers Sikhs as Hindus.

[mann_kaum_layee_qurbaan]

yeah, i saw this a few times now...that hindus are the third largest group in england and when i talk to sikhs, sikhs in england say they are the third leargest group in england...makes me wonder if sikhs know what they are talking about...

in india sikhs think they are the sardars of india, but their constituion calls them hindus...indian movies make them look like clowns, yet they say they are respected...in england they say they are the third largest group but official english media say hindus are treh third largest group...makes me wonder if sikhs are just living in a fantasy world...the only people who know facts about sikhs are sikhs themselves....

sorry...been noticing this a lot lately...

[Guest militant singh]

I wonder where the BBC get their facts from. There are more than 600,000 people who profess to being of the Sikh faith in the UK, so how are the Hindus with 500,000 the third largest religious group in the UK.

face it BBC always chats rubbish about sikhs and makes dem look bad

[Sarabjeet Singh]

Not only this Bahmans are now asking for a Hindu Mandir Prabandhak commitee on the lines of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee.

I am basically from Kurukshetra (haryana) the birth place of Bhagwat Gita

there are lots of Mandirs there

and every year they all historic mandirs auctioned for maintenence and 'Chadawa'

once a man recordered the auction and played it on speaker on a rickshaw (munadi) in town so people came to know about it

so it should be 'Hindu Mandir Auction commitee'