British MPs and leaders laud contribution of Hindu community

London, Sep 2 (IANS) British lawmakers attended 'In Conversation with the British Hindus', an event hosted by Baroness Verma at the historic Churchill Hall in Parliament. The event that brought the British Hindu community and policymakers together in a spirit of dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect was held on Monday, the first day after the UK Parliament reconvened folllowing its summer recess, a report said.

Action for Harmony, an umbrella organisation dedicated to ensuring the voices of British Hindus are heard at the highest levels of government, organised the event with an aim to foster long-term cooperation and understanding between policymakers and one of the UK’s most vibrant and successful faith communities, a report in India Narrative (IN) highlighted.

Several UK MPs, peers and councillors attended the event, including Dawn Butler (Labour, Brent East), Bob Blackman (Conservative, Harrow East), Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour, Slough), Gagan Mohindra (Conservative, South West Hertfordshire), Seema Malhotra, Baggy Shankar, and Louie French. Baroness Verma, Lord Jitesh Gadhia, Lord Popat, and Lord Sewell.

More than 40 community leaders — representing over 65 per cent of the British Hindu diaspora — participated, with attendance of over 60 Hindu organisations. The organisations include major national bodies such as BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh UK, ISKCON UK and the Hindu Council Central England. A strong participation was witnessed from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Hindus, reinforcing the event’s political significance and the shared aim to boost engagement between the Hindu community and Westminster.

During the event, Baroness Verma emphasised need for the community to stand together and for parliamentarians to be sensitive regarding its concerns. According to the India Narrative report, the Baroness stressed that genuine engagement not only requires understanding cultural and religious practices but also acknowledging the role of British Hindu community in the social, economic, and civic fabric of the nation.

Action for Harmony founder Nitin Palan spoke about community's agenda and highlighted the issues that need attention, including identity of British Hindus in public life and representation at policy-making levels, security and protection, including proper investigation and justice following the Leicester violence, education, with a focus on improved Hindu resources for Religious Education (RE) in schools, religious and cultural practices, including participation in engagements related to the community — for example, crematorium planning and policy, stronger engagement between the community and parliament.

The APPG for British Hindus chairman Bob Blackman highlighted the contribution of Hindu community to the British society and mentioned how the community remained underrepresented in the public sector. He lauded the work conducted by the APPG's secretariat since its reorganisation in 2024.

APPG member Jack Rankin called on Hindus to raise their concerns in a cohesive and coordinated manner, ensuring maximum effect when demanding policy changes. Meanwhile, Iskcon UK Trustee Vinay Tanna emphasised the need for better coordination between community leaders and parliamentarians to ensure constructive dialogue and timely responses to pressing issues.

In a statement shared on X, Deirdre Costigan stated, "Today I joined the All Party Parliamentary Group for British Hindus and Action for Harmony to hear about the contribution of the Hindu community to the UK. Southall has a large Hindu population which works closely with other faiths in our diverse community."

Following the formal presentations, the event transitioned into a vibrant networking session. Parliamentarians and community representatives engaged in candid conversations, exchanging views on both specific policy matters and broader questions of cultural understanding and social integration. The atmosphere was one of openness, with ideas freely shared on how to maintain momentum and keep the dialogue active beyond one-off events, the IN report mentioned.

--IANS

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