AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Human rights advocates have raised alarm over renewed religious tensions in Leicester, England, after flags linked to a Hindu paramilitary-inspired group were raised in a predominantly Muslim neighborhood.
While some described the act as part of a Hindu celebration, its timing, just ahead of the third anniversary of the 2022 unrest, has been interpreted as an attempt to intimidate local Muslims and as evidence of the influence of Hindutva ideology.
Media and right-leaning think tanks in the United Kingdom downplayed the incident, with some blaming Muslims or framing it as a matter of general disorder. In 2022, similar tensions erupted when demonstrators carried Hindu flags through Muslim-majority areas of Leicester while chanting anti-Islamic slogans.
Analysts note that these dynamics stem less from the city’s multicultural fabric than from the impact of extremist ideologies and transnational Hindu nationalist networks. Research indicates that radical Hindu groups with a record of anti-Muslim violence in India have played a role in inciting unrest in the UK.
In addition, parts of the Hindu activist community in Britain have reportedly collaborated with European and American far-right actors, including links to Tommy Robinson, founder of the English Defence League.
Experts warn that ignoring the growth of extremist Hindutva influence in the UK risks fueling transnational Islamophobia and deepening social divisions.
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