Brussels (Belgium): The Hindu Forum of Europe for the first time celebrated Diwali in the European Parliament on 16 November 2015. The event was hosted by the British MEP Neena Gill, and attended by Hindus from across Europe. Hindu representatives from Spain, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Britain, Sweden, Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany and Belgium attended the function. Ethnically they were Hungarian, Sindhi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Italian, Sri Lankan, Tamil, Swiss, Balinese, Swedish, Spanish; it was a cornucopia of the Hindu-European communities. Two Ambassadors graced the occasion, the Ambassadors of India, HE M Puri, and the Ambassador of Mauritius, HE D Dillum.
Neena Gill and Ambassador Puri both referred to the Paris atrocities and mentioned that the 'Light of Diwali would reach the victims of that incident.' President of Hindu Forum Radj Bhondoe dedicated this event to "the thousands of missing Hindu girls in Pakistan who experience extreme inhumanity and suffering. On an average every day a Hindu girl in that country is kidnapped, married against her will and forced to convert to Islam," he said. "This practice is going on for decades and no one is willing to do anything against it."
Entertainment was provided by Vocalist Kakoli Sengupta; a Bengali, citizen of France; Percussionist Rashmi Bhatt, a Gujarati, citizen of Italy; and Meena Rajagopalan, a Tamil citizen of the UK.
Mahaprabhu Das, secretary and founder member of the Forum said this was a dream come true and the right platform to put the Hindu Forum of Europe and issues of Hindus from around the world on the agenda of the European Institutions. Frans Timmermans, First Vice President of the European Commission, said “…Hindu Forum of Europe…play an important role in promoting social cohesion and bridging divides…” Dutch MEP Dennis De Jong said, “Diwali shows that our values of love, peace and respect for each other are universal values. No terrorist act can ever endanger these values…”
Photos;
Mrs Anita Goyal, of sponsors Hallmark Homes and Hemraj Goyal Foundation, being welcomed into the event with a Tilak.
Avnish and Anita Goyal Sponsors, HE M Puri, Ambassador of India, and HE D Dillum Ambassador of Mauritius, Radj Bhondoe President of HFE, and Sarahaba Bava Swamiji from Switzerland at the lighting the lamp ceremony.
Kakoli Sengupta And Rashmi Bhatt playing Ram Dhun by Tulsidas for the opening prayers.
Meena Rajagopalan, during her offering of Pushpanjali.
Radj Bhondoe dedicating the event to the Pakistani Hindu girls, with Neena Gill MEP, the Parliamentarian host.
Maharabhu das (Martin Gurvich), Secretary of HFE lighting the lamp of Diwali
