LONDON: An Uttar Pradesh-born Labour MP has tabled a motion in the House of Commons calling on the UK government to take steps to urgently address a “worrying rise” in anti-Indian racism in Britain, claiming the term “Indian variant” to identify a mutation of the Covid-19 virus is causing it to proliferate.
By Wednesday afternoon the early day motion (EDM) tabled by Stockport MP Navendu Mishra, who was first elected in December 2019, had attracted 12 MP signatures from different political parties.
Mishra was born in Kanpur and moved to Britain aged 14.
His father is from Kanpur and mother from Gorakhpur.
Mishra said: “Recent research revealed that 80% of British Indians have faced prejudice because of their Indian identity, with Hinduphobia being the most prevalent.
In that context, with terms such as ‘the Indian variant’ being used that further entrench anti-Indian stereotypes, it is clear more awareness needs to be raised about this form of racism and discrimination.
The EDM is an initial step in addressing this by raising awareness among parliamentarians about both the contributions Indians have made to British society and the harm negative stereotyping can have.
If we can get the conversation started about Hinduphobia and anti-Indian racism, then I hope enough pressure can be put on the government to update their hate crime action plan and launch a proper strategy to deal with this form of racism.” Although it has been submitted for a debate in the House of Commons, it is unlikely to ever get debated as there is no specific time allocated to EDMs.
EDMs are instead used to put on official parliamentary record the views of individual MPs and, by attracting the signatures of other MPs, they demonstrate the level of parliamentary support for a particular cause.
The motion states: “This House welcomes the contributions of Indians to British society; condemns the racism they face on a daily basis; calls on key institutions to urgently address this type of prejudice; recognises the 1.3 million Indians who fought for Britain during WWI and have contributed greatly to all levels of society over the past century; pays tribute to the thousands of British Indians who work in the NHS and have served the nation tirelessly throughout the covid-19 outbreak; acknowledges research by The 1928 Institute which revealed that 80% of British Indians have faced prejudice because of their Indian identity, with Hinduphobia the most prevalent; abhors the use of dog whistle language including the widespread use of phrases, such as Indian variant, which proliferates anti-Indian racism on social media and in wider society.” In the motion, the research by The 1928 Institute referred to is a report published by the institute in May, based on surveys and focus groups of British Indians, in which respondents said they had experienced prejudice in the UK as a result of their Indian identity within the past 24 months, of which, the largest type of prejudice is Hinduphobia.
The report described Hinduphobia as depicting the indigenous cultures and spiritual practices of the Indian subcontinent, along with the people who identify with it, as “inherently inferior”, which, it said, emerged from “colonial depictions of indigenous Indic knowledge and culture”.
Ashish Popat, of British Indians Voice, said: “This early day motion has come about because Labour is trying to bridge the gap between the community and the Labour party.
The party has lost support from the community since Jeremy Corbyn was in power.
I do not agree that the use of the word ‘Indian variant’ leads to racism against Indians in Britain.
In fact British people are showing their support for the people suffering in India owing to Covid-19 and want to extend their support and prayers.
But racism against Indian-origin people in the UK does exist and Hinduphobia is very much there.
However Hinduphobia in Britain is propagated by other ethnic minorities who vote Labour.”