So let me start with what you might recall were ‘anti-modi’ events supported by some Labour MPs in the House of Commons in the Spring of 2014. The ‘Avaaz’ report released at that time was not only anti-modi, but it also felt very much anti-Hindu. There was also an attack on some of our well known institutions such as RSS, HSS, VHP, NHSF and Seva Int. (and get ready for more such attacks). I brought this to everyone’s attention at the time and also asked Ed Miliband for clarification – of course none came.
During this period we witnessed one of the most treacherous acts by a political party against the Hindu community – yes, the Labour Party stabbed us in the back on the Lord Harries caste amendment. Remember they did not have to support the amendment. Most Hindu organisations told them to step back, but they took a decision to go against the wishes of the Hindu community. This year the British Courts have now concluded that the legislation that existed previously was more than adequate, and such an amendment on caste was not required. i.e. Exactly what we had told the Labour Party. So one has to wonder why Ed Miliband took such a stance that was so obviously anti-Hindu.
More recently the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has been in a crusade against David Cameron and the Tory Party. Talk about religion not getting into the political space just before an election, yet the good Archbishop broke all tradition and is giving a very one-sided rhetoric which many independent observers feel is designed to support Ed Miliband and the Labour Party. Now that’s a turn up for the books, who would have thought of that?
It could be the case that there is no correlation between the Labour Party supporting the Lord Harries (Ex Bishop by the way!) caste amendment and the sudden overt attack by the Church on the Tory Party. However I was reading the annual report of VODI (Voice of Dalit International) and discovered that they had been in discussions with Lambeth Palace over the caste legislation and it seems the Church was in line with such expectations. If you doubt this, then go to the Charity Commission website and download their latest report and read it for yourself.
Just as startling is news that a large proportion of the Christian community are poised to vote for Labour. Yes you did read that correctly. A survey of evangelical Christians showed that whilst there was a spread of voting patterns, some 31% will be voting for Labour (a large increase from 2010). There will be a significant reduction of those voting for the Tory Party as a consequence. So evangelism, which is seen by many as a means of ‘compassionate’ conversion, also happens to be tied into a voting pattern that supports Labour, the political party that wanted the caste amendment which is exactly what some of the Christian groups wanted. Now is that coincidence? Or is it by design?
So now we have several more pieces of this intriguing jigsaw. We have got the Church that seems to be supportive of the caste amendment; we have got organisations that are involved in conversions of Hindus to Christianity also in this band of merry men. And then you have got the Labour Party that stabs the Hindus in the back and supports such an erroneous piece of legislation on caste.
What we have witnessed in the last few years is something that resembles a systematic attack on Hindus. Piece by piece, known and unknown forces are chipping away at the very foundations of our Dharma. And whilst this is taking place, we have got many in our community, so called leaders, people who are connected very well to political parties, and those who are contributing large sums to these parties, who are either totally ignorant of what is happening right in front of their noses. Or they have chosen to turn a blind eye to secure some sort of political privilege.
Over the past several decades I have observed that there is no limit to how far some of these well funded vested groups will go to achieve their aims. They have powerful connections in very powerful positions. It says to me that the very nature of some of our political parties has changed. They are no longer what they used to be many decades ago. Therefore when it comes to GE2015, it is now important, nay vital, that our community begins to appreciate who their friends are, and to avoid the wolves that come to us in sheep’s clothing.
It is time to see the wood for the trees. When you have a political party that seems to be anti-modi, anti-Hindu and takes part in supporting legislation that is also anti-Hindu, what does that tell you about them? The writing is on the wall, all you have to do is read it and take the right course of action.
