So so sad

It’s been reported that travelling agitators are wading in from Birmingham. Whatever is happening, it’s awful isn’t it?

Lovely city, did an MA at the university there when i retired I had a lovely year there.

Back then it was a model of community cohesion and how different communities lived together.

I think what is happeneing is a (bad) example) of how national problems go global. It is transferring to communities in the UK the inter communal problems that rack Inda at the moment. The result of partisan nationalism.

From the Telegraph today:

“The governments of India and Pakistan have demanded immediate action by British authorities to tackle ongoing disorder between Hindus and Muslims in Leicester.

A series of increasingly violent clashes between youths from the two communities recently has resulted in 25 police officers being injured and has led to 47 arrests.

Trouble initially flared after a T20 cricket match between India and Pakistan that was played in Dubai on Aug 28.

But locals claim tensions have been simmering for months, fuelled by inflammatory rhetoric coming out of the sub-continent.”

Yup!

It is sad kitty I do not know what the solution is.

It’s all coming from India ?

I'm sure within those communities there are voices of dismay and peace. The only solutions I can see are: the faith leaders of those communities meeting on a national level, and of course its inevitable that the police have to continue containing the situation whilst looking for evidence of clear and obvious agitators from outside the community, for there are laws against the incitement of racial hatred in place, and this is what it is.

...and yes, for although it from a long time ago, the origins are in the Partition at the end of India as part of an English Empire, when rapid and unwise decisions led to the most appalling atrocities, and we can only accept what responsibility it is realistically possible to do so on that.

Indeed Wyllow Partition was a dog’s dinner done in a hurry.

On a recent trip to Sheffield, several of my Pakistani taxi drivers voiced anger at the Indian government for what they see as their involvement in the recent flooding crisis in Pakistan.
The conflict over the flow of the Indus river and its tributaries has been festering for decades. Looks like its spreading over here.

When did young men raring for a fight take any notice of their religious leaders?

The direct cause of the current problems is the Hindu Nationaalist government of Narendra Modi, deliberating pursuing policies that put Hindu's first and penalise Muslims.

All the other causes play their part, but the main problem is that India currently has a religiously partisan government.

Messyge from Sadiq Khan

My grandparents were from India. My parents from Pakistan. I was born and raised in London and am proud to call Britain my home. But like many Londoners who can trace their family history to different parts of the world, I feel a strong connection with my heritage, which means both India and Pakistan are dear to me and hold a special place in my heart.
That’s why I’ve found the ugly scenes in Leicester and Smethwick over the last week so heart-breaking. British Muslims and British Hindus have far more in common than that which divides us - and we should be eternally on our guard against extremist forces who seek to stoke up tensions between our communities for their own selfish ends.
For a generation, Asian families have lived side by side in the UK as friends and neighbours - not allowing the politics of the sub-continent to spill over here at home or to affect our relationships.
I remember the solidarity I had growing up in London with my Asian Hindu and Sikh neighbours, who along with Muslim, White and Black Londoners all stood together against the far-right of the 80s and early 90s.
The Asian immigrant story in London - and the sense of common struggle - is shared by people who have links to all parts of the sub-continent. We cannot let current or past tensions, and the wider politics of the region, be used as a pretext to break that unity or stir up trouble on our streets.
What we have seen in the Midlands in recent days is completely unacceptable, and I wholeheartedly condemn all violence, harassment and intimidation. Everyone in the UK and around the world should have the right to live in peace and to practice their religion without fear or threats.
British Muslims and British Hindus should always be allies, not adversaries. And any attempts to drive a wedge between our communities by a small minority should be called out and resisted by all. Now is the time for us to rekindle and strengthen our bonds of solidarity. We need the silent majority to continue raising its voice and deploring this disorder.
Together, let’s take a stand against all forms of hatred, intolerance and extremism - wherever it is found.

Thank you Fleurpepper and good for Khan.

Wyllow3

Thank you Fleurpepper and good for Khan.

Absolutely..

This fighting is truly awful. Very sad as it’s not what the majority want, What an example to send out to people. It must be dealt with swiftly, religious leaders of both communities are speaking out, zero tolerance from the community and police.

I live in Leicester.
My Nextdoor neighbour is a police officer.
He is currently working on surveillance. The unrests being stirred by activists from Wolverhampton, Birmingham
Bradford and Huddersfield.

Tensions between Muslims and Hindus goes back a long way to when the Mughals invaded India.
Way before Britain came, let alone partition.
There are different times divven if you look at google but ir randes from 13th century to 18 th century.

Troubles in India have been violent and ongoing beween the two for many years. Ir is a shame that this conflict is now being stirred up here. We don't need to take the blame though.
When people come to live in the UK they need to assimilate,
Not bring ancient hatreds with them.

The Partition was done in an unwise way that led to violence but it did not cause the trouble.

Pinkquartz

Well said. Partition came about due to the violence between the two; it didn’t cause it!

But the current problems are the result of the current Indian government, which is a Hindu nationalist party deliberately enacting policies that discriminate against Muslims.

The difficulty is that, generally immigrants from India, because there have been so maany of them, do not assimilate. In too many cases they live in what can almost described as ghettos in our big cities. Areas, where most of the population share the same origins, religion and culture and look to India for their cultural references rather than the UK.

We have seen this with other groups, Jewish and Irish immigrants, but they soon move out of core areas after a generation or two and both assimilate into general society while keeping their religious distinctiveness

Shinamae

Wyllow3

Thank you Fleurpepper and good for Khan.

Absolutely..

Yes

MOnica, I agree with your general point but in my area, it’s the people with family background in Pakistan who largely remain separate from other immigrant communities and white British. They often remain rooted in south Asian culture and politics.

Sorry Monica but that’s not how it is. Pakistani Muslims tend to stay in their own areas. I lived in an area with many Pakistani Muslims and mosques and got on with my neighbours fine but I was shocked that some could barely speak English and they had been born here. They very rarely mix with others outside their community.

There was a segment on radio 2 about this last week (maybe Tuesday) that was quite interesting. Lots of people with direct experience and observations phoned in and all seemed to suggest the same thing, that is is a very small minority of Hindus and a very small minority of Muslim. All young, all extreme, all incomers.

Tickingbird I agree with you, I think I did not express myself clearly. But there are areas which are predominantly Hindu, Southall, in London is one.

These groups of opposing youths could not fight as they did in Leicester, if there was not a sufficient number of both groups living in large enough communities within the area.