LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, June 1, 2005: The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) concluded a series of interactions with Hindu organizations based in the U. K. and the U.K. Government’s Home Office. In its efforts to understand the challenges faced by Hindus in the U.S.A. and the U.K., a series of meetings were held with several Hindu organizations in the U.S.A. and the U.K. Thus the HAF forged partnerships with several U.K. Hindu groups to further issues important to Hindus in both countries while promoting pluralism and understanding. In HAF’s meeting with the Home Office, it expressed concern about recent legislation that would prevent Hindu priests from immigrating to the U.K. which may force temples to close down. Anil Bhanot, Executive Director of the Hindu Council U.K. (HCUK), said that the Home ministry officials have expressed their appreciation for HAF’s and HCUK’s input and assured both that they would consider their input and forward them to Members of Parliament. Other concerns Hindus in the U.K. voiced to HAF include the lack of British government funding for Hindu groups, the lack of Hindu Members of Parliament, Hindu human rights globally, disunity in the Hindu community in U.K., the misappropriation of Hindu symbols for commercial purposes and apathy in the community to Hinduism in general.
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