As a British Indian I am writing to express my extreme concern about the involvement of the Bharatiya Janata party – Narendra Modi’s ruling party in India – in Britain’s forthcoming general election. I am disturbed by reports that Hindu temples in the UK, along with social media, are being used extensively by pro-Bharatiya Janata party organisations and supporters to mount a systemic campaign against the British Labour party and are coercing British Indians to vote for the Conservatives. This kind of involvement in British politics cannot be a good thing. It seeks to align the British Indian community with Modi’s rightwing neofascist government.
The Labour party is the only British political party that has consistently spoken out for black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, and has a strong and proud history of anti-racist campaigning. The Labour manifesto sets out bold policies to reassert the influence of non-white communities in British public life. In contrast, the Tory and Lib Dem austerity project has disproportionately affected black and brown people, and in the past five years alone we have seen hate crime rise by over 132%.
Furthermore, Brexit can correctly be seen as xenophobic and will not deliver benefits to British Indians.
I urge British Indians everywhere to act in this country’s best interest, and vote Labour in the upcoming general election.
Anish Kapoor
London
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