Hindu Forum of Britain

Hindu Forum of Britain
Name	Hindu Forum of Britain
Formation	2003
Headquarters	London
Region served	United Kingdom
Leader title	Chair

Hindu Forum of Britain is an umbrella organization established in 2003 to represent a segment of the British Hindu population. It has engaged with a range of public bodies, political parties, faith groups, and media outlets on issues concerning the Indian subcontinent, diasporic Hindu communities, and interfaith relations. The group’s activities have intersected with notable institutions and events across British and international public life.

History

The Forum emerged in the early 2000s amid debates involving the British National Party, Labour Party, Conservative Party, Greater London Authority, and civic organizations in London after high-profile episodes such as the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, the Iraq War, and tensions related to the Gupta family-era controversies. Founders and founding organizations included representatives from groups connected to BAPS, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, Ramakrishna Mission, ISKCON, and several mandirs in Leicester, Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester, and Cardiff. Early engagement involved meetings with figures from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Home Office, members of Parliament from constituencies such as Ealing, Barking, and Harrow, and faith leaders from Canterbury and the Board of Deputies of British Jews. The Forum’s public profile increased around events such as the 2005 London bombings and the Gujarat riots of 2002 when diaspora politics intersected with bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and India.

Organization and Leadership

The Forum has functioned as a coalition of charities, trusts, mandirs, and campaigning groups with executive committees and working groups modeled on structures similar to those of the National Council of Hindu Temples, Indian Workers Association (GB), and community councils like the Hounslow Council. Leadership has included chairs and secretaries who have spoken at venues ranging from Westminster Hall to community centres in Southall and Wembley. The organization has appointed spokespeople to engage with representatives from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, MPs from groups such as the All-Party Parliamentary Group on India, local councillors from Leicester City Council, and international delegations from missions such as the High Commission of India in London. It has had formal affiliations with umbrella bodies including the Inter Faith Network for the United Kingdom and dialogues with leaders from the Muslim Council of Britain, Board of Deputies of British Jews, and the Sikh Federation (UK).

Activities and Campaigns

The Forum has organized public events, conferences, and exhibitions in collaboration with cultural institutions like the British Museum, Southbank Centre, and civic sites such as City Hall, London. Campaigns have ranged from advocating for recognition of religious festivals—engaging actors such as the Mayor of London and councillors from Tower Hamlets—to lobbying on international crises by issuing statements referencing conflicts involving Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Israel and Palestine. It has participated in initiatives on hate crime reporting alongside the Crown Prosecution Service, the Metropolitan Police Service, and charities such as Tell MAMA and Community Security Trust. Educational outreach has included cooperation with institutions like University College London, King’s College London, and local schools in Bradford on heritage projects and curricula debates tied to exhibitions at the Victoria and Albert Museum and programming by the BBC.

Controversies and Criticism

The Forum has been subject to criticism from journalists, scholars, and campaigners including commentators associated with outlets such as The Guardian, The Times, and The Telegraph over its positions on events like the Gujarat riots of 2002, stances on Kashmir, and responses to allegations about affiliations with organisations linked to Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Critics have included academics from institutions such as the School of Oriental and African Studies, activists from Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, and community groups representing Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, and Jewish constituencies. Parliamentary questions have been raised in the House of Commons and debates in committees such as the Home Affairs Select Committee have at times referenced the Forum. Supporters have defended it in op-eds in outlets like the Daily Mail and on platforms linked to diaspora networks and cultural organisations, prompting exchanges with MPs from constituencies including Harrow East and Slough.

Relationships with Government and Other Communities

The Forum has engaged with government bodies including the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and local authorities across metropolitan areas such as Leeds, Birmingham, and Coventry. It has participated in interfaith dialogues involving the Archbishop of Westminster, the Islamic Society of Britain, the Sikh Council UK, and the Board of Deputies of British Jews, attending roundtables with representatives from the Equality and Human Rights Commission and receiving invitations to civic ceremonies at 10 Downing Street and City Hall. Bilateral engagements have included meetings with representatives of the High Commission of India and visits by parliamentary delegations from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Hindus.

Funding and Affiliations

Funding and affiliations reported in public debates and filings have linked participating mandirs, charitable trusts, and community organisations similar to the National Council of Hindu Temples, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, and faith-based charities such as Karuna Trust (UK) and heritage partnerships with institutions like the British Council. Questions have been raised by media outlets and inquiries in the House of Commons about donations, grants, and the transparency of some associated bodies, with responses pointing to charity commission rules administered by the Charity Commission for England and Wales and governance standards followed by institutions such as the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.

Category:Religious organisations based in the United Kingdom