The Hindu Council UK is genuinely concerned about the leaked Home Office document commissioned in August 2024 by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, which has identified Hindu nationalism, or Hindutva, among the emerging threats to the country’s security. This report is at its best misinformed and biased and at its worst demonstrates a racist colonial mindset that has not engaged with or understood the Hindu community in the UK.
Hinduism is one of the world’s oldest and most peaceful religions, rooted in values of dharma (righteousness), ahimsa (non-violence), and vasudhaiva kutumbakam (the world is one family). Any attempt to equate Hinduism or its cultural ethos with extremism is not only misleading but also harmful to millions of peace-loving Hindus globally.
The term “Hindu nationalism” or Hindutva is often misrepresented. For many, it signifies cultural pride, self-respect, and the assertion of Hindu identity in a pluralistic and democratic manner—not extremism or violence. Hindus who advocate for their rights or cultural heritage do so within democratic frameworks, without inciting hate or division, although we also have the right to defend ourselves against violence.
Anil Bhanot, our Managing Trustee, explains: “Historically, Hindutva was a movement formed, after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, to unite Hindus and other Dharmic traditions as one casteless Dharmic people, but significantly to not allow the colonials to continue to divide and rule us with atrocities like the Jallianwala Bagh which a divided people could not reasonably defend. Hindutva was defined as the essence (tva) of Hinduism, without castes, to unite all Dharmic people as one. The colonials turned this definition upside down on its head to signify Hindu supremacy or against India’s pluralism, which obviously suited their divide and rule policy.”
Hindus in the UK have faced increasing hate crimes, temple vandalism, and targeted attacks, especially after the Leicester riots in 2022. However, rather than acknowledging these legitimate concerns, the UK government’s report risks demonising an already marginalised community. Labelling Hindus as extremists could lead to further discrimination, profiling, and social alienation. Much was made of Hindutva propaganda and yet the Hindus had to leave their homes under knife threats and our temple Shivalaya was desecrated – pray tell us what the peaceful Hindu community did apart from suffer in silence.
The Hindu community in the UK has always been law-abiding, hardworking, and a model minority. Instead of stigmatising them, the UK government should engage in constructive dialogue with Hindu Council UK, clarify the basis of its report, and ensure that peaceful cultural expressions are not wrongly branded as extremism.
A truly inclusive and balanced approach would involve:
- Distinguishing genuine extremism from cultural identity and activism.
- Consulting the Hindu community before making broad classifications.
- Addressing the real threats of radical extremism that have caused harm in the UK.
- Be mindful of fully foreign funded anti-Hindu organisations like the Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) UK, who in our view are working at full speed to ruin the community cohesion built in the UK.
Hindu nationalism, in its true form, is not a threat but a positive affirmation of cultural identity, self-respect, and civilisational heritage. Any attempt to misrepresent it as extremism risks alienating a peace-loving community and undermining social harmony. The government must ensure that its counter-extremism policies are based on facts, not political narratives.
Dipen Rajyaguru
Director of Diversity and Equality
Hindu Council UK