Cameron has been accused by critics of bowing to a powerful “vested interest” and wealthy Hindu businessmen who oppose the move. The law would have made it an offence to insult or discriminate against Dalits, or people of low caste.
People who are regarded as untouchable in India have also found discrimination in Britain where they have been denied jobs, had weddings opposed by families and have been told they cannot eat off the same plate as people from higher castes.
An employment tribunal last year heard claims from Vijay Begraj and his wife Amardeep that they were discriminated against by their employer because Begraj was from a Dalit background. The case was halted when the judge “recused” herself, that is, chose not to hear the tribunal case.
Ministers had drawn up proposals to make it illegal to bully, harass or socially exclude an estimated 200,000 people, mainly of Nepalese or Indian origin, on the basis of their caste. It came after parliament voted to make caste discrimination illegal, defeating the government. Ministers are angry the law change has been blocked.
“It was all signed off and ready to go but Cameron said this is not happening before the election,” said a senior Whitehall source. “We are pretty shocked that he is overruling the will of parliament.”
Downing Street denied Cameron had blocked the proposal and said it was waiting the outcome of an unemployment tribunal on caste before consulting on the matter.
Keith Porteous Wood, of the National Secular Society, said: “The government has been directed to introduce anti-discrimination legislation by parliament and the UN. For it to defy both can only be explained by conflict with a strong vested interest.”
At the time of going to press Asian Voice tried to get a reaction from the Hindu Forum of Britain but no one was available.
