BHV [email protected]
Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA Email: [email protected]
12 th May 2020 Dear Mr Starmer
Labour Party: Kashmir, Pakistan, India I am writing to you on behalf of the British Hindu voice (BHV). The details can be accessed through the web link First of all, please accept my congratulations on your election as the Leader of the Labour Party. Your initial positive and constructive tone on the above subject is a welcome change from the radical, community divisive and what some may call jihadist hard line stand taken by many Labour Party MPs and activists. They seem to be driven by hatred, irrational thoughts and a single track one way political mind set. The anti- India resolution passed at the last Labour party conference followed by protests and slogans abusing British Hindus has caused untold damage to community relations and party loyalties in this country. We are afraid that some of the Labour MPs, Councillors and other party members still continue to spit an anti India and in some cases anti- Hindu venom on fake, misguided and faith partisan ideology. The British Indians have now seen through their attempts to create a negative and damaging narrative of India and Indians.
I now refer to your correspondence with the Hindu Forum of Britain (27 April 2020) , Muslim Council of Britain (8 th May 2020), the statement issued by 100 Mosques and Islamic centres ‘threatening’ (blackmailing?) the Labour Party, and the statement signed and issued on 7 th May 2020 by the Socialist Campaign Group of labour MPs some of whom represent constituencies that have a very high British Indian electorate like for example Leicester East. In a way, British Hindus most of whom still vote Labour despite unbearable provocations, should ‘thank’ the anti Indian Labour Party activists because they have now woken up to the danger these people cause to community relations here. They have now made British Indians more assertive, forceful, united and vocal. This letter and many messages flowing through the social media network and the shift in the voting pattern at the last election are proof of it. The more the Labour Party activists spit anti India/ anti Hindu venom without any reference to rationality and objectivity, the stronger the united voice of British Indians will become. In this scenario, only a rational debate based on facts and evidence with all the parties concerned is the only way forward.
Within the context of the above correspondence and where you have mentioned Human Rights, UN resolutions on Kashmir, and the need to foster good community relations here, with which we agree wholeheartedly, I would be grateful if you would clarify, the Labour Party policy and your views on the following.
1 of 4 12/05/2020, 14:19 Human Rights Let me start by pausing a simple question. Can you name a single Muslim majority country that respects Human Rights as defined by UN resolutions? How many of these Muslim majority countries are true democracies? Why are these Pakistani and Kashmiri origin MPs, Councillors and other activists fixated on a true secular democratic India? Is it because it is a Hindu majority, but still a secular country? Kashmir is just a vehicle they seem to be using and regrettably it looks like the Labour Party appears to be used as a tool to perhaps further a wider agenda.
Like you, BHV and most British Hindus believe that Human Right abuses wherever they happen and whoever is committing them, after carefully considering the facts and evidence, should be condemned. Could you therefore please enlighten us on the following?
What public condemnation on Human Right Violations did the Labour Party or those Labour MPs who so vehemently shout about Kashmir made then and to date when 500,000 Kashmiri Hindu Pundits were forcefully thrown out (ethnically cleansed), their wives and daughters raped in the then Majority Muslim ruled Kashmir State Government? We also understand that Kashmiri Pundit men were told over mosque loudspeakers that ‘you go but leave your daughters and wives behind’? How low can you get?
Compare this with what the same Muslim ruled Kashmir State Government did when they gave permission to settle 98,000 Rohingya Muslims in Jammu several years ago! Demographic manipulation?
It is obvious to British Hindus and to the larger British and world public that when Labour Party anti India activists talk about Kashmiri people, they mean Kashmiri Muslims and no one else.
It is precisely because of the antics of the Labour Party activists that the British Hindus started searching for the facts when they discovered the atrocities and discrimination committed in the then Muslim majority State government of Kashmir. There are more such blood boiling examples but I hope you have got the message.
Where is the public condemnation of Human Right abuses through a Labour Party resolution on the ill treatment of Muslims in China? The Socialist Group of Labour MPs who signed the statement on Kashmir- why haven’t they issued a similar statement on Chinese Muslims? You may be aware that in Pakistan each year approximately 1,200 underage Hindu and Sikh girls are abducted, forcefully converted to Islam, and forced to marry older Muslim man. One reads about this every other day through Pakistani and other media. What about their Human Right Violations? When is the Labour Party going to take up their Human Rights cause? We don’t expect the Pakistani and Kashmiri origin Labour MPS and Councillors to take up their cause because they seem to see things through faith tinted glasses. When is the Labour Party going to take up the Human Right Violations against Pakistani Christians who are subjected to Blasphemy laws and Pakistani Christian women married off to Chinese man who then use them as prostitutes? As many as 629 Christian Pakistani women were duped and sold as sex trafficking victims through forced marriages and taken to China. The covid-19 pandemic has brought out the ugly face of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Hindus are not given food. They are told to leave the queue where free food is given because they are Hindus. This also in the month of Ramadhan? This is happening in Bangladesh too. Any views of such inhuman discriminatory practices by Muslims of these countries to Hindus? Will the Pakistani and Kashmiri origin labour MPs and Councillors condemn this behaviour? We don’t think so because they are busy with one track mind on India and would they really dare to criticise Pakistan, an Islamic country? At the time of India / Pakistan partition, the population of Hindus and other minorities in Pakistan was almost 22%. Now it is less than 1%. This means almost 44.5 million Hindus/Sikhs (21% of the current Pakistani population of 212.2 million) ‘disappeared’. Where have they gone? What has happened to them? Search deep in your heart and mind and you will know the answer. I pose this question because it sums up what Hindus and Sikhs have suffered in Pakistan and Bangladesh and no one, including the internationalist British labour party has taken up the Human Right issue of any of these vanished / vanishing minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
In addition, do you think you can name a single Muslim majority country where minorities have equal rights and live with dignity and are allowed to practice their faith peacefully? Yet we don’t hear the Labour Party or the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs say a single word about this unacceptable situation of minorities in these countries. On Human Rights, It seems, India and Hindus are their main ‘enemy’’ –that much is now clear to British
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So please if you genuinely want to address and take up Human Right issues across the world, make sure the agenda is not hi jacked by those Labour MPs and Councillors who come across as anti-Hindu and anti-India by their actions and statements. Until this happens British Hindus will not be convinced about Labour Party’s change of heart and mind on India, on British Hindus and the desire to build good community relations here in Britain.
UNSC Resolution on Kashmir In your letter to the Muslim Council of Britain, you have said ‘we support and recognise the previous UNSC Resolutions ---‘ on Kashmir. The main UNSC Resolution that is of any significance because it mentions plebiscite is the UNSC Resolution 47 of 1948. I understand this resolution is not implementable!
Let me explain.
The UN Security Council resolution 47 was adopted on 21st April 1948 . Resolution recommended a three-step process. In the first step Pakistan was asked to withdraw all its nationals that entered Kashmir (Including Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) for the sake of fighting. Once this step was completed, in the second step, India was asked to progressively reduce its forces to the minimum level required for law and order. Once step one and step two were completed, in the third step, India was asked to appoint a plebiscite administrator. Now as you know, Pakistan, even after 70 years, has not withdrawn its soldiers or the tribal and other people it has from POK! So, step two and step three have become redundant! They can't be implemented unless Pakistan withdraws its troops and the Pakistani origin population out of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir!
The only other resolution that was passed in 1947 was about appointing commissioners but here again as Pakistan was very very late in appointing its commissioner this resolution also became defunct.
The problem therefore of UNSC Resolutions not getting implemented lie with Pakistan and yet all we see from Pakistani and Kashmiri origin MPs and Muslim organisations is blaming India! And regrettably, it seems the labour party has taken this un-implementable rope and tied it around its neck.
All the above information is publicly available online.
Andrew Gwynne Labour MP for Denton and Reddish and Chair of Labour Friends of Kashmir, talks about UNSC resolutions especially the one that refers to Plebiscite. Does he really know or understand what the actual UNSC resolution 47 of 1948 as mentioned above says and required? This is what I mean when I state that some of the Labour MPs and others don’t really care much for facts or realities as they may be driven by their Pakistani and Kashmiri Muslim vote banks or misguided ideologies or hatred of India.
Simla Agreement This agreement was agreed and signed by Pakistan and India. They agreed that Kashmir issue should be resolved bilaterally.
Why isn’t anyone referring to this agreement from the Labour Party?
You have said you support UNSC Resolutions on Kashmir. Will the Labour party now call upon Pakistan to withdraw from POK which they should have done according to UNSC resolution 47 of 1948? Will you now, in your statements, refer to Simla agreement too?
Covid-19 deaths by ethnicity (Country of origin) I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the fact that according to the information released by Coronavirus (Covid-19) related deaths by ethnic group, England and wales-office for national statics following is highlighted on the number of deaths in hospitals up to the 5/5/20.
Death of Indians—614 Death 0f Pakistanis-422 Death of Bangladeshis—126
The figures very clearly indicate that more Indians have died from Covid-19 than Pakistanis or Bangladeshi. Focus on any research or set up of any Groups by the labour party to look at reasons should therefore not totally be
3 of 4 12/05/2020, 14:19 focussed on Pakistanis and Bangladeshis. British Indians should not be ignored.
Finally, we would like to see a Labour Party that is fair and just, that does not ignore the interests of British Hindus, treats Human Right issues fairly across the board and the one that does not get threatened, blackmailed or hi jacked by any faith or extreme ideological groups. Labour Party has a lot to offer to all the faith communities and we trust that your leadership will do everything possible to avoid getting unnecessarily involved in international affairs that has the potential of lighting additional fire to community cohesion and community relations here in Britain. Kashmir is a bilateral issue and that should be that.
With Best Wishes
Vinod Popat Chair British Hindu Voice
Some background information on Human Right abuses Pak Hindu bride abducted, converted to Islam, forcibly married to Muslim - 27 Jan 2020 - Pakistan News: A Hindu girl was abducted during her wedding ... mainly Hindu, Sikh and Christian, are forcibly converted to Islam and married . Sewer Cleaners Wanted in Pakistan: Only Christians Need Apply. – an article in the New York Times on 4 th May 2020. Hindus and Christians are denied food . “ CONVERT TO ISLAM OR STARVE” - Islamic Preacher publicly announced on TV that Mosques are giving free groceries to minorities in Pakistan on one condition “CONVERT TO ISLAM OR STARVE” is the warning. In Bangladesh a Hindu Charity helping to feed any religious community member in need during this Covid outbreak is hounded.
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