Scotland Yard officers were called into the Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Willesden on November 9, late night after a thief broke through a door and left with three “beloved” Hari Krishna idols and cash. As if the New Year spirit wasn't dampened for the British-Indian community, another break-in at the Shree Kutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple, Kenton, in the week following Diwali, has now prompted the community to believe it is in fact a hate attack and not a simple case of burglary.
While the police are not currently linking the two incidents, officers are working to establish what was taken from the Harrow temple, and enquiries continue. A member of the Willesden temple, Umang Jeshani, member of the temple committee, said, “The idols have been with us since 1975, when the temple first opened. They were handed down to us from our mother temple in Bhuj in Gujarat. They are used for rituals and have had huge impact on the Hindu community. We have had a lot of support from communities around the UK, it has hit the community quite hard, it's quite a shock.” The Hindu Council UK has expressed concern at the incidents and urged all Hindu temples to be vigilant and ensure all security systems were in place and in a working condition.
Outraged at the thefts, Labour MP Virendra Sharma has urged British police to consider whether two recent robberies in London Hindu temples should be considered hate crimes. Addressing the House of Commons this week, Sharma asked Justice Minister David Gauke whether the cases would be treated as hate crimes and not just ignored by police as they “targeted people of one faith.” Sharma said, “Given the way society is developing, given the way some sections of society are going around and spreading hatred and intolerance in society, I strongly feel that people should keep open that possibility.”
Gauke too spoke on the thefts. He said, “Those specific cases will be a matter for the police and for the Crown Prosecution Service, but if activity of this sort is targeted on the basis of religious belief, that is completely unacceptable and I am sure that the whole House is united in condemning it.”
Conservative MP Bob Blackman too made a point to bring attention on the recent burglaries. Speaking in the Parliament, he said, “We celebrated the Hindu New Year last week, and for most of us it was a joyous occasion. Very sadly the following day, Willesden Temple was broken into and the idols or statues all Hindus celebrate were stolen. Following that on earlier this week, Kenton Temple was broken into and the same thing happened. Could we have a statement from the Home Secretary on this subject so greater security can be provided to the Hindu temples across the country to prevent this happening from anywhere else?”
Leader of the House, Andrea Leadsom added to the statement, calling the situation “appalling” and urging Home Secretary Sajid Javid to do something for the , saying, “Can I say to my honorable friend, I am really sorry top hear about the break-ins at Willesden and Kenton temples. That really is appalling and I do encourage him (Blackman) to take the opportunity to speak to the Home Secretary about that himself. I am sure he will do that.”
The first real hate crime incident at Hindu temples began earlier this year when an image of Lord Ayyappan, located at the entrance of the London Ayyappan Temple, was drenched in fuel and set alight. Four weeks after the incident, the temple banners at front of the building were set on fire. Following the incidents, Local London Assembly Member, Navin Shah AM has been closely liaising with local councillors, community safety officers and the Borough Commander to determine how security measures could be improved.
Shah said, “In the wake of the temple being subjected to two abominable attacks, it has been positive to see the local council, police force, and community leaders come together to stamp out religious and racial hatred, and provide vital support to the Hindu community in Harrow. It's also reassuring to hear that, on the back of the local council's recommendation, the Temple has submitted a bid for funding to the Home Office to install enhanced security measures.” Shah also added, “I have, of course, also pledged my ongoing support to the Temple and will continue to assist them on this matter and any other issues that might arise.”
