The UK government is not ready to accept that there has been a rapid increase in the number of hate crimes against the Indian community. As a matter of fact, we have witnessed an increase in these hate crimes against Indians and especially Hindus all across the western world. Reports of attacks have come from the USA and Canada as well.
On the 6th of January, a Shiva temple in Wembley, England became a victim of a targeted attack and it left the community in shock. A man entered the temple and when asked to remove his shoes, he refused and went inside to vandalize the temple. The accused held idols and tried smashing them.
One of the witnesses has said that the accused was reciting Quranic verses during all this time. Although the man has been detained, it still raises serious questions around the safety of Indians and Hindus in the UK.
This is not the first attack on the Hindus in the country that is directly associated with their religious identity. It is ironic that a country whose Prime Minister proudly asserts his Hindu identity is failing to protect the members of the community.
A lack of assurance from the authorities have kept the Hindus in an environment of fear. There is an immediate need to address these attacks as crime against religion and act accordingly.
