Robert Carter
Press TV, Leicester
Tensions between British Hindus and Muslims have escalated recently, with the unrest mostly involving young men from both communities and leading to scuffles and assaults. On Tuesday, hundreds of masked Muslim men descended on a Hindu temple in Birmingham. Local Muslims were furious over a recent attempt by the Temple to platform a hard-line Indian preacher.
Things are a bit nasty here. Ultimately the reason they gathered in these numbers is because this centre was planning to provide the platform to a notorious Hindu representative who espouses the fascist Hindutva ideology which is common in India these days and is responsible for a number anti-Muslim hate crimes. That ideology has essentially been exported now to Britain’s streets. And its been building up over months.
Tuesday’s unrest was sparked following a Hindu mob marching through Muslim majority area in the nearby city of Leicester on Saturday, chanting Hindutva slogans.
Eyewitnesses say the marchers attacked local Muslim businesses and intimidated the community. Local Police failed to stop the rally, which was later confronted by a crowd of local Muslims.
According to some reports, the violence flared up after a recent Asia Cup cricket match between arch-rival India and Pakistan. However, locals informed Press TV that Leicester Muslims routinely targeted by Hindu thugs way before the match.
As UK Police scramble to investigate many incidents, the feud has gone global, as India and Pakistan’s High Commissions issued passionate statements condemning either side of the divide; fading any hopes of a quick solution to the chaos.