Anti-Hindu Group Pushes London Mayor to Cut Hindu Ties Amid Diwali Festivities
Amid recent Diwali celebrations at London’s Trafalgar Square, anti-Hindu group Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) is pushing Mayor Sadiq Khan to cut ties with Hindu organizations involved in the event. HfHR accuses these institutions of promoting “Hindutva” agendas in the UK, presenting a disturbing attempt to politicize a cultural celebration.
A “Hindu” group calling on the Mayor of London to “cut off all ties” with among the most prominent Hindu institutions in the UK, @BAPS and @ChinmayaMission, because they helped organize a #Diwali program.
That’s right…attacking Hindu Mandirs over #Diwali on #Diwali.
A new low. pic.twitter.com/k2P7gjtY4v— Suhag A. Shukla (@SuhagAShukla) October 29, 2024
An Unfounded Demand Against Hindu Organizations
On October 29, Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) sent a letter to Mayor Khan, urging him to sever all connections with respected Hindu groups, including Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), BAPS, and Chinmaya Mission. These organizations played an integral role in organizing the Trafalgar Square Diwali celebration, one of the most vibrant Hindu festivals celebrated worldwide.
Despite presenting itself as a human rights advocate, HfHR has gained a reputation for spreading anti-Hindu sentiment, frequently aligning with extremist elements. Although the organization’s name implies Hindu representation, HfHR has consistently attacked Hindu culture, traditions, and leaders, aligning its rhetoric with anti-India narratives. With no Hindu representatives in its leadership, the organization relies on its title to claim legitimacy, all while it actively undermines Hindu interests.
An Anti-Hindu Agenda Disguised as Activism
Hindus for Human Rights routinely uses Hindu imagery and teachings to add weight to its anti-Hindu campaigns. However, its selective outrage and skewed interpretations of Hindu culture suggest a different agenda. Instead of championing Hindu rights, it attacks Hindu practices, aligning with leftist and Islamist organizations that seek to target Hindu voices globally.
The organization has a known history of endorsing events like the “Dismantling Global Hindutva” conference and has propagated anti-Hindu narratives in the U.S. and UK. By calling out Indian government policies selectively, HfHR shifts the focus from real issues and instead pushes an anti-Hindu agenda.
Funding Behind the Anti-Hindu Narrative Against Hindus
HfHR’s funding is equally controversial, coming primarily from the Tides Foundation—a group that has backed other anti-India, anti-Hindu initiatives, and has funded pro-Hamas events across American universities. This connection raises serious questions about HfHR’s underlying motives, given that many of its activities align with groups intent on targeting Hindu communities.
By urging the London mayor to cut ties with well-regarded Hindu organizations, HfHR attempts to misrepresent these groups as vehicles of an extremist agenda. This claim disregards the long-standing work of institutions like BAPS, VHP, and Chinmaya Mission, which focus on community welfare, education, and cultural preservation. These organizations have consistently helped Hindu communities around the world without pushing any political ideology.
Targeting of Hindu Institutions and the Broader Agenda Against Hindus
While this campaign by HfHR may appear isolated, it signifies a coordinated effort to discredit Hindu communities globally, especially in regions with significant Hindu populations like the UK. The organization’s approach reveals a troubling strategy: isolate and stigmatize Hindu voices to weaken their presence in public spheres, all under the pretense of promoting human rights.
Diwali is a time for celebration, unity, and goodwill across all communities. However, HfHR’s recent actions attempt to sow division, portraying Hindu cultural celebrations as problematic.
This divisive strategy goes beyond promoting human rights and instead targets one of the world’s most inclusive and ancient traditions.
For Hindu communities in the UK and beyond, the time has come to organize and push back against misrepresentations that threaten the freedom to celebrate their culture without politicized interference.