Hindu Forum Britain Phone:07875015865 E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Website

Hindu Forum Britain Phone:07875015865 E-Mail: President@Hfb.Org.Uk Info@Hinduforum.Org.Uk Sg@Hfb.Org.Uk Website

 Hindu Forum of Britain Unit 3, Vascroft Estate 861, Coronation Road Park Royal, London NW10 7PT Hindu Forum Britain Phone:07875015865 E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Website: www.hfb..org.uk

8 July 2015

Chancellor listens to British Hindus

The Chancellor has launched a review into crematorium facilities in today’s budget to ensure that they are appropriate to the needs of all users and faiths. This follows representations to the Chancellor from British Hindus and Sikhs who are concerned that current facilities are often too small, and not equipped to meet their needs. The Government wants to know more about these issues and what steps can be taken to improve existing facilities in line with current law.

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said: “This is a Budget that delivers for British Hindus and Sikhs: backing business, supporting aspiration and standing behind families that work hard. Over the past year the community has raised with me their concerns about cremation facilities for their communities. They’ve told me that often the facilities are not large enough for everyone from the community to pay their respects and don’t always pay enough regard to cultural sensitivities. So this Budget announces a review into these facilities. We want to know more about concerns people from all faiths and none have about these facilities, so we can do more to ensure everybody can mark the passing of their loved ones appropriately. That’s why we’ve launched this consultation and I’d urge everyone to make their views known on this important issue.”

Trupti Patel, President of Hindu Forum of Britain said, ‘We at the HFB have been campaigning for culturally sensitive crematorium facilities for many years. It is indeed good news that the present Conservative Government has recognised this very important issue and will be conducting a major consultation exercise that we hope will result in meeting the needs of our community’.

Commenting further was Kapil Dudakia a leading socio/political journalist and commentator; ‘I recall that as far back as 2004/5 we were raising issues with the then Labour government about the lack of appropriate facilities. In particular I remember how hard we tried for them to consider the needs of Hindus in areas such as Harrow, Brent, Ealing, Birmingham and Leicester, unfortunately it all fell on deaf ears. It is therefore helpful to see that the present Conservative government has understood the real need of our community and will begin the process of consultation. I hope it will result in some ground breaking facilities that are sensitive to our cultural and faith needs’.

The Hindu Forum of Britain confirms that it will be taking a leading part in this consultation exercise and will also bring to bear the views of the several hundred Hindu organisations it represents at the grassroots.

Lakshmi Kaul PRO HFB

Patrons Council: C.B. Patel  Lord Dholakia  George Jatania  Nathuram Puri  Joginder Sanger & Shashi Vekaria President: Mrs Trupti Patel  Assistant Secretary General: Ms Panna Vekaria Vice Presidents:  Jit Jethwa  Madhava Turumella Treasurer: Devshi Chothani Registered in England and Wales Company No. 5106256

Notes:

Trupti Patel President HFB Mrs Trupti Patel : FCIHT, MSc. Highways and Transportation, BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering, MISTD - Visharad Bharat Natyam (B Arts ) and Yoga Teacher.

Email: [email protected] Tel: 07875015865

The Hindu Forum of Britain is an umbrella body with a broad‐based membership of over 300 Hindu organisations from different regions and cultural backgrounds in Britain. At the core of the Forum’s activities is a strong belief in the richness and diversity of the Hindu culture, its value system that encompasses respect for all beings and faiths, and a cultural heritage that facilitates community cohesion and coexistence.

The HFB has wide support from the regional Hindu councils in the North, West Midlands, East Midlands, Brent, Harrow and large temples and community organisations in most regions of Britain. The Hindu Forum has also established a fully consultative system that has become the driving force for affecting change and delivering projects.