British Hindu Leaders back Chief Rabbi on Jeremy Corbyn’s stance on anti-semitism

26 November 2019

Dear Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis

I would like to express my support for the initiative you have taken on anti-Semitism in the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn. We at the Hindu Council UK concur that Labour has increasing become anti-Semitic and anti-Hindu.

Jeremy Corbyn has remained silent when there has been a strident anti India protest which culminated in anti-Hindu sentiments. Our holiest day, Diwali, was recently targeted by demonstrators prompted by several Labour Party members and MP’s support, not least with their openly condemning Hindus in their letters to the Prime Minister, Foreign Office and the UN. This is a day when the High Commission of India celebrates Diwali with invitees of all faiths.

Jeremy Corbyn has been reported to openly engage with the worst terror outfits in the world and we understand has a long history of vilification of Israel. We find it nauseating that no Labour Member of Parliament has condemned the anti-Jewish and now what we witness as anti-Hindu manoeuvrings at play in the Party. Suddenly the Hindu community has been excluded and dumped from their candidature selection.

On Kashmir issue the special status afforded to the majority Muslim population was in breach of the equality strands we are used to in this country and yet a majority of the Labour MP’s wrote to condemn the equalisation measures now put in place by the Indian Government.

Under the same special status the Hindus were killed and converted in their droves until a biblical exodus in 1991 of over 400,000 Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs occurred and yet no Labour MP has ever condemned this systematic ethnic cleansing of Hindus from the Kashmir valley. Several of these Hindu families still live as refugees in Jammu camps in the state.

Jeremy Corbyn always speaks against Islamophobia, whereas any ant-Semitic and anti-Hindu positions remain unchallenged.

It is a sad state of affairs that a major political party in our country which used to be a progressive socialist voice has veered towards what almost is a fascist ideology.

Labour said nothing when child abuse was taking place in councils controlled by it in fear of a Muslim backlash. We are greatly concerned that law abiding Muslims who shared our peaceful values have been ignored in favour of extremists who openly loathe both our communities.

Your intervention reminds us of the German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller :

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Naturally we pray for peace and harmony in all our communities, and above all for the justice necessary at a political policy level. We unequivocally support your brave stand which I hope will lead to that review by the party and thank you for speaking out.

Yours Sincerely

Anil Bhanot OBE

Director for Interfaith Relations

Founding Member: Hindu Council UK

Cc.Mark Frazer, Duncan Bacall, Rachel Shabado, Directors, at the Chief Rabbi’s office Trustees at the London Jewish Forum

Dilip Joshi MBE, Diversity at the Ethnic Minority Foundation Umesh Sharma, Co-Chair at the Hindu Council UK.

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