British Indian businessman and peer, Lord Rami Ranger has condemned the UK's Forfeiture Committee's decision to revoke his Commander of the British Empire (CBE) honour, criticising the action as violating his freedom of speech. A spokesperson has also issued a statement clarifying Lord Ranger’s stand.
In a separate message that Asian Voice has seen, Lord Ranger said, “The decision of the Forfeiture Committee has serious implications for all upstanding citizens, that they should not speak their mind in case they forfeit their honour for standing up against those who wish to harm us and our country.”
Alongside Lord Ranger, Anil Bhanot, an accountant and managing trustee of the Hindu Council UK, also had his Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) title revoked. The revocation was linked to allegations of Islamophobia stemming from tweets he posted in 2021 about violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. (See his statement next to the story)
Lord Ranger, a Sikh himself, is a well-known critic of Khalistani separatist movements and has plans to pursue legal action, including a judicial review and an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. He was awarded a CBE in 2016 for his contributions to business and community and became a peer in 2019 as part of Theresa May's resignation honours. Lord Ranger has always been a strong advocate for community cohesion, founding the Pakistan, India & UK Friendship Forum, and chairing the British Sikh Association.
An official spokesperson for Lord Ranger, in a statement told the newsweekly, “Lord Ranger has not committed any crime, nor has he broken any law, where the majority of the people who have had their honour revoked in this way, have committed a crime or broken the law. Lord Ranger is devastated that the CBE awarded to him for his services to British business and for promoting community cohesion has been taken away. It is a sad indictment that the honours system, which is designed to empower individuals who go the extra mile and contribute a great deal to the nation, should be used to curtail the basic fundamental rights of free speech and thought process.
“Complaints that had previously been made to the House of Lords Standards Committee and rejected, were re-submitted to the Forfeiture Committee. These included a complaint by Sikhs for Justice a US based group who have been banned by the Indian government who has designated it as an ‘unlawful association’ under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act together with the organisation’s leader, who on 1 July 2020 was declared a ‘designated individual terrorist’ by the Indian government.”
The spokesperson also emphasised that Lord Ranger had addressed prior complaints through public apologies and rehabilitative training. These included a tweet concerning a Southall Sikh Gurdwara trustee, his criticism of a BBC documentary on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Gujarat riots, and an online dispute with journalist Poonam Joshi.
Furthermore, President Vimalji Odedra of the National Council of Gujarati Organisations UK (NCGO UK) has sent a letter to Sir Chris Wormald, Cabinet Secretary, at 10 Downing Street, in support of Lord Ranger.
“Hindus treated as second class citizens”
-Anil Bhanot
The Honour withdrawal aside, I fear the problem for us Hindus has suddenly become very much of second class citizens in the UK when it comes to speaking against the injustices we may suffer from Islamists, we have to silently suffer, for fear of being accused of Islamophobia, which seems now the number one priority of this Government.
During the Autumn of 2021, I got involved in tweet-debates from the Indian subcontinent when Islamist mobs in Bangladesh went from town to town seeking out poor Hindus to attack as kafirs and destroy their temples. My reply-tweets were mostly one-line reactions to others’ tweets amongst the horror unfolding there against Hindus. Then compounded by the fact that the BBC was silent on reporting these incidents, I felt I had to speak for those innocent souls being targeted by mob violence. Now of course we see a full-scale genocide of Hindus, which the 2021 violence seems like a mini trailer.
Then later in December 2021, a Hindu child Lavanya committed suicide because of pressure to convert. Then again, I replied to tweets from the subcontinent because of my empathy for a helpless child tweeting that coercive or forced Dawah or Proslytisation is wrong, it is evil.
But at all times, I asked for dialogue and legislative measures only, even for my claim that Hinduism is the father of all religion, my purpose was not to claim some superiority, far from it, but in all humbleness show that the high level spirituality in all religions we share alike, that we should see the unity in spirit to enable us cohabit peacefully. Now the historian William Dalrymple in his book the Golden Road gives evidence of global trade from the time of the Indus Valley civilisation 4,500 years ago and he even discovered Buddha statue in a temple in Egypt. Spirituality seemed to have been shared across the world through trade and people migrations.
Anyway during late February 2022, a young individual from the 5 pillars of Islam picked some of these one liner reply-tweets and exposed them out of context, as Islamophobic. I did try to engage with him then too but in vain. He complained to the Charity Commission and the Institute of Chartered Accountants ICAEW, but both institutions rejected the complaint and absolved me under the free speech and s10 of the Human Rights Act 1998. In addition, the ICAEW cited two cases of BSB v Holbrook and of Toch where, in March 2022, both Holbrook and Toch were cleared of tweet complaints.
The Government is eager to prioritise injunctions against Islamophobia. But the Islamophobia definition is flawed, indeed it would be impossible to define it. Instead, the Government should try and define anti-Muslim hatred to protect Muslims and likewise Hindu-Misia, as they’ve defined Antisemitism. The legislative emphasis should be on anti-hatred not a perceived phobia which will always be a moving target, never a singularity in legislation. I think the Forfeiture Committee found it convenient to impose an anti-Hindu dhimmitude on me in their attempt to show they are taking action against what they may think is Islamophobia. I deny I am Islamophobic and have harmonious relations with Muslims, my friends, my clients, my employees and my relations. But the consequence of this Government’s action is that I am left feeling religiously persecuted under the Equality Act 2010.
After the 7/7 bombing I did ask the Communities Dept to debate the word ‘Kafir’ as I claimed it comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Kaayer’ for Coward, but nobody took responsibility to do such difficult debates. My reactionary tweets centred around the mob violence the Islamists were persecuting the poor Hindus in the Autumn of 2021, and sometimes to push the boundaries of debate but with the aim of bringing a peaceful solution to such mindless violence.
I gave contextual explanations to all my tweets and indeed refuted each one of the claims in the Cabinet Office letter, but it seems the Government’s priority is to set an example even by wrongful means. I did tweet that Islamophobia culls free speech and so what else is this? Please don’t judge me, ask me too. I would be the first one to protect Muslims under attack as I have spoken against their wrongful killings too, as well Christians, indeed for humanity, but the Government doesn’t understand that Islamophobia vagueness has to be weighed in by its natural consequence of Dhimmitude and only then it will lead to the right definition of anti-Muslim hatred, which finally would be workable in legislation.
If I may offer an Indian poet shaeyer:
“Voh Katal Bhi Kartay Hain, To Charchaa Nahi Hota; Hum Ahh Hi Bhartay Hain To Ho Jatay Hain Badnaam” –
They even Kill others, yet Nobody Murmurs a Word; We simply take a Sigh and are put to Shame.
