Leicester unrest: Hindus stage protest outside BBC headquarter, allege intended Anti-Hindu & Anti-India reporting

Days after Indian-origin Rishi Sunak held the chair of Prime Minster in Britain, dozens of British Hindu organisations protested against the BCC for running ‘anti-Hindu’ and ‘anti-India bias coverage for many years. Men and women of the Hindu faith gathered outside BBC headquarters in London to raise their voice against how the BBC have institutionalised Anti India & Anti Hindu reportage for generations now and categorically mentioned the targeting coverage of the violent attacks on Leicester Hindus by Islamists.

People demonstrated their absolute displeasure and frustration with the BBC for their rabid negative views on India and Hindus. A gathering of over 200 people from different walks of life and ages stood for hours to spread awareness about the BBC’s alleged ill-doing. It was a silent protest organised professionally without any aggression or chanting. A panel of organisers, Mr Vivek Kaul, Mr Nitin Mehta, Pt. Satish Sharma, Riddhi Vyas and Dr Sneh Sunny submitted a memorandum to BBC executive Mr Frans Van Der Merwe.

Memorandum to BBC:

In a letter of memorandum to Mr Tim Davie, Director General, BBC, the Indian diaspora stated that BBC’s coverage of the violent attacks on Leicester Hindus by Islamists was the worst reporting seen so far and has contributed to the concealment of an attempt to ethnically cleanse an area of Leicester of Hindus.

“The BBC was complicit in covering up the greatest catalogue of anti-Hindu hate crimes seen in recent years, and this prejudice has been condemned globally. As was reported in the Indian press, “At best, the BBC has shifted from totally blaming Hindus for the violence to essentially saying that they don’t know who started the violence. However, they are continuing to shield the Islamists of Leicester while tacitly throwing the victims – Hindus – under the bus,” read the excerpts of the memorandum.

It further stated that Leicester Hindus intends to continue protesting until the BBC ceases its unrelenting vilification and dehumanisation of Hindus globally and of “licence-fee paying” British Hindus.

“We Hindus always prefer to be a part of the solution, preferring evolution to revolution, but this is not possible without both parties subscribing to this desire. We have not seen any indication that our approach is reciprocated and have therefore undertaken this protest, which may well be the first of many such protests. The BBC’s reporting on matters relating to events in India, particularly regarding Hindus and Hinduism, are anti-Hindu and Hinduphobic and completely in contravention of the terms of your Charter and our working definition of Hinduphobia, which is attached. Their reports are almost invariably half-truths and innuendo, designed to seed, incite and create conflict and are clearly intended to malign and demonise the Hindu community in this country and internationally,” further read the memorandum.

Several pieces of evidence containing hateful content, which is routinely produced by BCC reporting, were submitted to the BBC delegation and requests were raised to arrange to meet a small delegation to discuss this matter and move towards a resolution instead of continued conflict and ill-feeling and harm to our community.

Leicester Hindus boycott review:

Earlier, Hindu groups in Leicester boycotted a review into recent disorder in Leicester city as they believed that the academic appointed to lead the review was biased. The Leicester city mayor, Peter Soulsby, Dr Chris Allen, an associate professor in hate studies at the University of Leicester, has been appointed to lead the review.

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A letter to the mayor, signed by 13 Hindu temples in Leicester, said the Hindu community had “little confidence in the process” and would boycott it. It says Allen’s comments on Twitter ruling out Islamist extremism in the unrest had “cast strong doubts on his suitability to lead the review”, adding that “to assert a conclusion ahead of the review” raised doubts about his independence.

The Quotes has tried to reached out to the BCC for their official comment, once received the article will be updated.

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