APPG for Gujaratis: Public is against the 'public launch'

More than a dozen organisations have opposed the APPG for Gujaratis and written letters to MP Gareth Thomas, demanding his reaction to the divisive idea and activity in the name of APPG for Gujaratis. It has been announced that there will be a 'Public Launch' of APPG for Gujaratis in the Houses of Parliament on April 25.
On behalf of the community, Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar forwarded an open letter. Out of these efforts, only a single reply was received by Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar from Mel Crosby, Office Manager of Gareth Thomas MP. The reply is: “Mr Thomas is currently on leave, but I have made a note to raise this with him next week ahead of securing a date for a meeting at the earliest possible availability.” This is the first and last reaction on behalf of the MP received to date.
It is being contemplated how this can happen if the public and a specific community is opposing the idea. MP Gareth Thomas is being criticised for not being able to find a moment to respond to the community’s concerns. On the other hand, it is known that he is attending the meeting and launch organised by these divisive forces. The big questions are: Who are the MPs working for? The community, the committed voters or the divisive forces? To unite the people or to divide the people in the name of caste, creed and colour?
Cancel this launch and dissolve the body: VHP UK
Vishwa Hindu Parishad UK and the World Council of Hindus raised strong objections against the movement of the formation of APPG for Gujaratis. Dr TP Jotangia, President VHP UK wrote a letter to Gareth Thomas MP, Bob Blackman MP and other officers of APPG, saying, “It has come to notice of Trustees of VHP that you are going to launch APPG for Gujaratis on 25 April, Tuesday in the Houses of Parliament. We believe that this will be a divisive move by you as we do not need a separate APPG for all the communities of India here in Britain. We are served by APPG for Hindus and India. VHP urges you to cancel this launch and dissolve the APPG for Gujaratis.”
This is utter rubbish…: Kapil Dudakia
Columnist Kapil Dudakia reacted very strongly regarding all the supporters in a divisive initiative. On his Twitter handle, he said, “This is utter rubbish from Eastern Eye. Almost every single national body representing Gujaratis has rejected this APPG. In fact, none of them was even consulted. I am surprised that you guys have not bothered to report this madness properly.”
When we need to bring communities together, it will cause a diversion at that time: Param Shakti Peeth
Param Shakti Peeth of the UK has serious reservations with respect to the formation of an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Gujaratis. Dr Harsha Jani of Param Shakti Peeth of the UK mentioned in a letter to the Office Bearers of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for British Gujaratis that, “Our membership consisting largely of UK Gujaratis views this ill-advised, divisive step as an exercise in fracturing our communities.
“We urge the Office Bearers to reconsider the proposal to hold the inaugural meeting of APPG for British Gujaratis on 25th April and further request that the APPG for British Gujaratis is dissolved.
“British Indian and Hindu communities and especially Gujaratis take immense pride in the contribution they make to the UK economy and multi-faith diversity relationships. The issues around the formation of APPG for British Gujaratis will cause a diversion at a time when we need to put collective efforts to bring communities together to work towards a prosperous inclusive Britain for our future generations and build on a shared vision with India and its 28 states and 8 Union territories.
“We propose that a united British Hindu and Indian community and Parliamentarians especially of Indian heritage come together to make APPG for British Hindus and APPG for India a resounding, emphatic, influential and bold voice for the many concerns and challenges Hindus and Indians including Gujaratis face in the UK and abroad.”
Diaspora organisations question and warn against an ill-conceived move that would prove divisive
A proposed new All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Gujaratis has stirred up controversy, with diaspora organisations questioning the lack of proper consultation with relevant stakeholders from the Gujarati community and warning against an “ill-conceived” move that would prove divisive.
The APPG for British Gujaratis, which proposes a formal launch on April 25, held an inaugural meeting in the House of Commons complex early last month. According to a statement issued following the meeting, the group is described as a means to “raise issues and concerns of the UK Gujarati community” towards improved decision-making.
Organisations opposed to the APPG Gujarati
1. Hindu Forum of Britain (representing hundreds of Hindu organisations/Mandirs).
2. National Congress of Gujarati Organisations - the largest body representing Gujaratis in the UK.
3. Sardar Patel Memorial Society UK – following the ideology of the iconic Sardar Vallabh bhai Patel who united the whole of India.
4. National Association of Patidar Samaj - representing thousands of Gujarati families in the UK.
5. INSIGHT UK
6. HSS UK - 110 active centres in 67 towns. A large section of its members is Gujaratis.
7. Param Shakti Peeth of UK (Founder: Didimaa Sadhvi Ritambhara ji)
8. CB Patel / Asian Voice / Gujarat Samachar, leading Asian media house.
Friends of India Society International (FISI) UK mentioned in the letter: “We view this attempt to create an APPG solely for Gujaratis as an attack on the unity of the British Indian community and also on India that has stood for ‘unity in diversity.’ Such mala fide attempts at creating strife within the wider Indian community need to be discouraged.”
Bhadran Bandhu Samaj (UK) warns that this APPG promotes fragmentation of the Indian diaspora in the UK and a fragmented Hindu community in the UK may lose its cultural identity and heritage. President Bimal Patel wrote: “We must remain as one community. The policy of divide and rule, which was used to maintain colonial control in India, serves as a warning of the dangers of fragmentation. There is growing concern that the community may be at risk of being divided into numerous ethnic groups, as has been the case in India.”
Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) UK President Dhiraj Shah said in the letter: “This action by parliamentarians will not be appreciated by the government of India, which will view it as divisive.”