UK Labour leader Keir Starmer calls out Hinduphobia

London: UK Labour Party chief Keir Starmer called out Hinduphobia and said the Hindu community is an integral part of Britain, said Navendu Mishra, an MP from Stockport on Thursday.

Navendu Mishra is a British Labour Party politician, who is serving as MP for Stockport since 12 December 2019. Starmer joined Mishra at the Dussehra celebration where he spoke about “Hinduphobia” and the contribution of the Hindu community in Britain.

Taking to Twitter, the Stockport MP said, “Glad to join festivities with @Keir_Starmer
at India Gardens (Europe’s largest Navratri festival) as the Hindu community observed Dussera (also known as Vijay Dashami) Keir called out Hinduphobia and spoke about the important contribution of the Hindu community to the UK.”

Keir’s statement came after the hate crimes of all kinds following communal clashes in Leicester and Birmingham in the wake of the India-Pakistan Asia Cup cricket match.

The cycle of violence was triggered on August 28 after India won the Asia Cup T20 match against Pakistan. On Sunday, a clash broke out among groups of young men in Leicestershire, according to the police statement. A total of 47 arrests have been made so far, Leicestershire Police said.

Several social media reports appeared about Pakistani organised gangs seen vandalising and terrorising Hindus in the UK’s Leicester City amid a spate of violence and disorder in the eastern part of the city.

In September, various media reports came that around 200 people gathered outside a Hindu temple in Birmingham to protest against Sadhvi Ritambhara’s event.

On September 20, a mob staged a violent demonstration outside the Durga Bhawan temple in United Kingdom’s Smethwick.

Videos that surfaced on social media showed a large crowd of people marching towards the Durga Bhawan Hindu Centre on Spon Lane. They were also heard raising religious slogans. Several from the mob were seen climbing the temple’s walls.

Meanwhile, after attending the event, Starmer took his Twitter account and said, “Dussehra is a time for celebration and the victory of good over evil, when the world sees the power of resilience in the face of adversity. Thank you @SKLPC_UK for sharing the spirit of this auspicious occasion with us.”