Why did I publish the article on the Hindu Forum?

Not to cause offence but to allow people an understanding of the failure of consultation. The Muslim Council of Britain was also in favour until Lord Sacranie made comments about homosexuality. Therefore, who really do such Forums represent? Are Sacranie’s views about homosexuality prejudicial? Of course they are, but Sacranie and others still wanted equality for Muslim people, but not for gay men and women?

Groups like the MCB and the HFB may not necessarily in themselves be anti racist but as some have said, the Government will align themselves with someone. The shocking revelations of the HFB raise serious question of Ruth Kelly and the integration commission itself. Let's just tick a box shall we? But that tick in the box won't help the police when WE deal with youths from marginalised communities.

Clearly in the case of the HFB there are some concerns of Fundamentalism. I would accept not all of the HFB may be bad just like the MCB but when we consult about racial equality there can be no compromise, there is no grey area for the police. Because when it goes wrong it is US that will be blamed. There is only racist or there is anti racist. Politicians won't be blamed.

Do such groups fundamentally want a separatist identity, which causes racism’s or do they simply want integration and cohesion? This is a vicious circle but without integration we will continue to have racial incidents. The problem is it is the police that pick up the pieces and end up dealing with racial incidents. So it is important that we consult and take an anti racist stance.

It is important to recognise what occurred in relation to the issue of the Royal Mail and stamps where the HFB argued against the Royal Mail publishing a stamp of Lord Krishna in the arms of Mother Mary. The stamp was not meant to offend. Nor did the outcome offend. And the HFB have missed the point and in doing so implied, in my opinion, a backward stance. The HFB have missed an opportunity. Does it really matter if Krishna was in the arms of Mary or whether Jesus was in the arms of Krishna’s mother? Are we not essentially the same? Why then focus on difference in a negative way. The stamp should have been a celebration for British Hindus. Sadly the issue was hijacked.

Then there are do good Liberals who think they are doing good when they object to the use of the word Christmas when mentioning Christmas lights because they feel it might offend other minority communities. This is absolutely ridiculous but Councils rubber-stamp such policies. Diwali is Diwali, why call it something else? In the same way Christmas is Christmas. Why should it be called something else?

Race and diversity being led by do good Liberals is a problem because when Councils get critical issues wrong then someone somewhere from the majority will be upset and the right wing can expose this weakness, and probably it is the vulnerable that get hurt, the elderly, or the young, or some young Black youth walking home in South London. And all because some do gooders don’t have an understanding and are not prepared to admit this lack of understanding.