APPENDIX 2
REPORT FROM THE PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
STEEP RISE
IN HATE
CRIMES AGAINST
HINDUS, SIKHS:
FORUM
London, 8 September (PTI) In the backlash that
followed the London bombings, there has been a steep rise in incidence
of hate crime against Hindus and Sikhs, with most of them perpetrated
because of mistaken identity, the Hindu Forum of Britain said
here.
There were as many as 932 instances of such
hate crimes against Indians, who are predominantly Hindus or Sikhs,
as opposed to approximately 600 instances of faith-related hate
crime against Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslims, Ramesh Kallidai,
Secretary General of the Forum said last evening.
"As Asians we all look the same, and are
equally vulnerable to any backlash," Kallidai said at the
meeting of the leaders of the Forum with the Assistant Commissioner
of the Metropolitan Police, Tarique Ghaffour.
At the same time Hindu leaders noted that most
of the hate crimes against the community were perpetrated through
mistaken identity during the backlash after 7/7 bombings.
"However, our greatest concern is that
there is no official recognition yet of the vulnerability of Hindus
and Sikhs," Kallidai said.
During the special meeting organised by the
Forum and the Metropolitan Police Hindu Association, he said the
leaders voiced concerns over lack of community infrastructure
to prevent hate crimes and help the victims.
"Even worse is the fact that there has
been very low levels of Government engagement to understand what
effect such high levels of hate crime is having on our confidence
in the Criminal Justice System," he said adding very little
effort was being made to help increase reporting of hate crime
and offering voluntary support to victims. PTI
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