The TOI correspondent from London: British Hindu groups have expressed reservations about an Islamophobia council being set up in the UK, saying the council should be expanded to tackle hatred against all religions and not just tackle Islamophobia.
Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner plans to set up the 16-strong council to draw up an official govt definition for anti-Muslim discrimination and provide advice to ministers on how best to tackle it.
British Hindus fear any new definition of Islamophobia could suppress legitimate criticism of Islam, leading to de facto blasphemy laws and suppressing free speech.
Ex-Tory attorney general Dominic Grieve, who wrote the foreword to the 2018 APPG on British Muslims report that set out a definition of Islamophobia, which the Labour Party adopted, is tipped to head the new advisory council.
Insight UK, a British Hindu diaspora group, issued a statement calling for the council to be widened to represent all faiths and be called a “religious hate crime prevention council” and for it to tackle all forms of religious hatred, including rising anti-Hindu and anti-Sikh hate crimes.
Dipen Rajyaguru, director of diversity & equality at Hindu Council UK said: “The selective focus on protecting one religious group over others disregards the historical injustices, threats, and discrimination faced by Hindus and other communities. The Hindu Council UK has long advocated for the recognition of ‘Hindumisia,’ a term that more accurately describes the hatred against Hindus.”
He pointed out that “Hindutva”, which means Hindu-ness, or the essence of Hinduism, has often been misrepresented and manipulated to equate to Hindu extremism. “The weaponisation of terminology to malign an entire religious identity is deeply troubling,” he said.
He also raised fears about suppression of free speech. “The introduction of a definition of Islamophobia that equates criticism of religious doctrines with racial hatred sets a dangerous precedent. It risks serving as a gateway to de facto blasphemy laws, curtailing legitimate discussions about religion, ideology, and policy,” he said.
A ministry of housing, communities & local govt spokesperson said: “No blasphemy laws will be introduced by this govt. We are firmly committed to tackling all forms of hatred and division, including the unacceptable rise in anti-Muslim hatred. Any new definition of Islamophobia must be given careful consideration, acknowledging British citizens’ unchanging right to freedom of speech.”