The Anti-Caste Discrimination Alliance calls for restraint following the violence in Leicester and Birmingham; and calls on the Government to act immediately to restore peace, and protect minorities in the UK
Leicester (Samaj Weekly)- The Anti-Caste Discrimination Alliance (ACDA) is very alarmed and concerned about the recent unrest and violence in Leicester and Birmingham. We strongly condemn the organised campaigns of violence, and provocations that have been directed towards both the Muslim and Hindu communities.
For far too long the UK Government has ignored the concerns raised by communities about the violence, intimidation, hostility, intolerance, and caste discrimination that has been imported from South Asia onto the streets of the UK.
The ACDA call on the Government to thoroughly investigate the incidents and deal with the promoters and perpetrators of violence according to the law. The UK is a diverse and tolerant country where people hailing from all faiths and races live in harmony, and this needs to continue.
Members of the ACDA have been campaigning for legal protection for victims of Caste-based discrimination (CBD) for nearly two decades, working closely with grassroots organisations comprised of, and representing Dalits, here in the UK. Following extensive community campaigning on behalf of victims, legislation awaiting implementation, was agreed by Parliament to outlaw caste discrimination in the UK in 2013.. The legislation has received the full support of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the United Nations, but in spite of this, the Government decided in 2018 to not implement it following opposition from a powerful Hindu lobby.
Many have sought to blame the violence in Leicester of the presence of more recent working-class migrants from India – essentially members from marginalised castes in Gujarat. This narrative is perpetuating caste ignorance, and caste prejudices here in the UK. Its clear that the politics of South Asia has been imported into the UK, and the provocations are the results of mobs aligned to the Nazi-inspired Indian paramilitary Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), that increasingly operate amongst British Indian communities in the UK. By failing to address these issues, the UK Government is complicit in the provocations that were witnessed in Leicester over the weekend. The Home Office must review its decision to allow the notorious anti-Muslim activist and hard-line Hindutva leader Sadhvi Rithambara entry to the UK to attend several events in London, Birmingham, Nottingham, and Coventry. Although her scheduled visit has been cancelled in light of the protests – the decision by the Home Secretary to allow any person who has the potential to incite religious hatred and disharmony amongst the host communities in the UK must be investigated.
Mr Ravi Kumar, General Secretary of ACDA said: “The Government needs to reject the ‘cultural baggage’ and caste discrimination from South Asian that has been imported into this beautiful country of ours. We need all communities to abide by British laws and customs, and to refrain from actions that inflame religions sentiment and undermine societal harmony.
The Dalit communities in the UK condemn attacks against any place of worship or symbols of religion – hatred of any kind has no place in our society. As victims of caste discrimination, we call upon the Government to provide leadership by enabling protection for victims. For far too long, nothing has been done – and the violence we are seeing on the streets of the UK, is the result of inaction and political prevarication by politicians who have placed business interests over community cohesion, justice, and equality.”
