Communalist violence is erupting in England, more specifically the English city of Leicester in the Midlands, one of the most racially diverse parts of the UK. While an uneasy tension dressed up as tolerance and unity has long characterised cities like Leicester, recent violence between British Asian youths of Indian Hindu and Pakistani Muslim descent is of a different scale, and seems to involve the wholesale import of South Asian sectarianism. Coincidentally, last weekend also marked five decades since the first Ugandans of South Asian descent landed in the UK. 

For weeks, hundreds – if not thousands – of young men in masks and balaclavas have been taking to the streets, after trouble flared in August following Pakistan’s defeat to India in a cricket match. That a sporting event in the UAE could spark violence thousands of miles away between two ethnic minority communities with a history of mutual animosity speaks volumes about how Hindu nationalism and Islamism have augmented longstanding tensions. The fact the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ (‘Glory to Lord Rama’) chant – a slogan of Hindu nationalism – has been heard during protests speaks volumes.

After the initial game, large crowds of UK-born men of Indian descent draped in Indian flags began celebrating, with chants of ‘Pakistan murdabad’ (‘death to Pakistan’) being heard. UK-born men of Pakistani descent, in turn, chanted ‘Pakistan Zinabad’ (‘long live Pakistan’) and ‘Modi kuta’ (‘Modi dog’, a reference to the incumbent Hindu nationalist leader in India) during later incidents. At least one Hindu temple has been attacked while a saffron flag – symbolic of the Hindu faith – was also targeted. Gangs of Pakistani descent have allegedly brandished knives and attacked property as well. 

Despite the predictable words about ‘community cohesion’ this is sadly not an isolated incident. Aside from occasional violence between white and South Asian youths, most racial and religious violence in the UK over the last 25 years has been between ethnic minority communities, for instance between black and South Asian communities in Birmingham, or Hindus and Sikhs in the southeast of England. In many cities and towns in the UK, an uneasy tension exists, punctuated by flare-ups like the one in Leicester, where the rivalry of the Subcontinent plays out on the streets of Britain. Meanwhile, media in South Asian, especially in India, has further stirred up between these two largely endogamous communities.

Alongside general tensions between Hindus and Muslims in South Asia, political tensions between India and Pakistan themselves – not least over disputed Kashmir – have also whipped up hostilities. Police have attempted to calm the situation in Leicester, with greater presence on the streets and stop-and-search powers. But, despite some respite, tensions remain, and violence keeps erupting. As in the rest of the English-speaking world and western Europe, multiculturalism has encouraged non-white communities to define themselves primarily with their ancestral homelands, race and religion. The consequences of such a policy are now being played out.

Politicians in South Asia also bear responsibility. Aside from the fact their own corruption and mismanagement is often the cause of forcible displacement of people to countries like Britain, Islamism in Pakistan and ‘Hindutva’ nationalism in India – catalysed in no small part by the political success of the Bharatiya Janata Party (‘Indian People’s Party’) and the associated Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (‘National Volunteer Organisation’) – have exacerbated the hostilities which caused partition in the first place.

Both India and Pakistan have also become more hostile environments for Christians in recent years, ranking 10th and 8th respectively for persecution, according to Open Doors UK World Watch List 2022. According to a report by the United Christians Forum, Association for Protection of Civil Rights and United Against Hate at least 305 incidents of violence against Christians took place in India within the first nine months of 2021, and according to a report by Persecution Relief, crimes against Christians increased by 60 per cent from 2016 to 2019 in the country. 

Meanwhile, according to Emma Webb for the Critic: “Christians are estimated to make up between 1.27 and 1.9 per cent of Pakistan’s population (2017 census/ NGO Open Doors). Frequently the victims of abuse, discrimination and violence, they are treated as “second-class citizens”, and face the ever-present threat of being falsely accused of “blasphemy”.” Right now, however, it is violence between Hindus and Muslims – exacerbated by tensions between India and Pakistan – which are impacting a city in England. 

Religious violence is erupting in the UK, and the likelihood is that, even if the situation calms down in the next few days, the underlying resentment and hostility will remain. Finally, the impact of social media has been extremely important at disseminating information, both real and false. Just as years of satellite television kept ethnic minority communities tied to their ancestral homelands, now Twitter and Facebook are acting as echo chambers. Leicester braces itself for yet more violence, hoping for at least some respite.

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