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British Hindus are speaking up... finally!
Dear Reader,
That the Indian diaspora enjoys significant financial and political clout in countries like the US and the UK is known. But what has been largely muted or even is voicing their concern on attacks on Hindu Dharma. Finally it is being articulated.
What’s Happening: As the UK voted today (4 July), British Hindus asserted their Political Power with with a powerful new tool: The Hindu Manifesto UK 2024.
It matters because with around one million Hindus in the UK, their vote is crucial. Both Labour and Conservative parties are working hard to win their support.
The Hindu Manifesto: A key demand is recognising anti-Hindu hate as a religious hate crime. The manifesto describes Hinduphobia as antagonistic attitudes and behaviors toward Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) and Hindus that may manifest as prejudice, fear, or hatred.
Examples of Hate: The manifesto cites instances of Hinduphobic hate in the UK, from blaming Hinduism for societal issues in India to normalising violence against Hindus.
The manifesto also names hate groups like Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and International Sikh Youth Federation responsible for violence against Hindus and Indians in the UK.
Labour is working on rebuilding trust and mending ties with the Indian diaspora after its relationship with the community faced challenges under Jeremy Corbyn.
Keir Starmer’s Outreach: The Labour leader has been visiting temples and addressing anti-India sentiments within the party.
Indian-Origin Candidates: Labour has fielded several to resonate with the community’s concerns.
Conservatives are banking on Hindu heritage of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who is leveraging his background to connect with Hindu voters.
The Bottom Line: British Hindus are making their political voices heard like never before, and both major parties are paying attention.
In the next section, we move to Kazakhstan where Indian and Chinese foreign ministers have met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
India's External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar met with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, on 4 July (today).
Dr. Jaishankar emphasised the importance of resolving border issues that have escalated since the 2020 Galwan clash. He stressed using "diplomatic and military channels" to address these issues.
Jaishankar highlighted the need to respect the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and ensure peace in border areas.
He underscored the "three mutuals": mutual respect, mutual sensitivity, and mutual interest as guides for bilateral ties.
Both ministers agreed on the necessity of an early meeting of the Working Mechanism on Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC).
This year's summit is under Kazakhstan's presidency, which PM Narendra Modi chose not to attend.
A few days ago, in a report titled “Keep Your Enemy Closer”, former Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale too had said that India should try resuming political dialogue between India and China.
It is unlikely that this meeting was a beginning of that dialogue given the tough and no-nonsense approach of the Modi government towards border mischiefs since it came to power.
Until tomorrow then,
Anmol N Jain
