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Communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims have become evident in the English city of Bradford where a 350,000-strong white majority coexists uneasily with 85,000 Asians, predominantly Pakistani Muslims.
Bradford's latest Hindu-Muslim differences have surfaced in the wake of serious race riots between whites and Asians in the nearby cities of Oldham and Leeds.
Now a Hindu youth claims hostile Muslims are blocking attempts to bring up young people of a different faith as good, law-abiding citizens.
Paresh Mistry, 18, an organizer of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS, or Hindu Voluntary Corps) in Bradford, says his organization "aims to promote and pursue the basic values of the Hindu way of life and to instill a sense of pride in our identity".
"Our aim is to encourage our youths to become good and decent citizens of this country, but we are subjected to racial abuse, both verbal and physical, from youths who come from a Muslim background," Mistry told IANS.
His group runs cultural activities for people of all ages and weekly sessions are regularly attended by more than 100 members, some as young as five. But Mistry says the good work of the club is being undermined by the behavior of Muslim youths intent on provoking Hindu youngsters to react to their taunts.
"I used to walk to the club with two or three other lads but as we were walking along, Muslim youths would stare at us and make snide comments about our religion," he says.
In one recent incident, a gang threw bricks at members attending a club meeting. Mistry says foot patrols and police vans need to be in evidence more than ever to react to incidents like these promptly. "We will never retaliate because we expect police to be there. Retaliation hasn't got anybody anywhere and it is not our aim.
"But we feel scared in an area where most of us have been brought up. People are moving out of the area because they are sick of the tension. As long as there are these thugs, they are never going to let people live life as we want to."
After the last confrontation, Mistry says he and his friends called police, but by the time they arrived their tormentors had fled. "Its an ongoing thing that's got worse," explains Mistry.
A spokeswoman for West Yorkshire police said, "This is quite a complex issue. There are a lot of communities in Bradford and we work with all community partners on all issues. We like to work on all problems together."
Ayub Laher, vice president of Bradford Council of Mosques, admits the existence of unruly Muslim elements, but says there is also a problem with a small minority of Hindus who identify with the right-wing Shiv Sena. "I am not denying we have a small number of Muslim youngsters who have given up the code of good practice and religious followings," he said.
"I cannot see a true Muslim having this sort of behavior. But there is also a problem with a handful of Hindus who put themselves out as a part of the Shiv Sena. They stir things up in Bradford and get the brunt of (such) behavior from Muslim Pakistani youngsters.
"I would be pleased to meet Mr. Mistry with my colleagues and we can find out when these problems occur and who they are. We have also told the police we would like to investigate the problem and find out who are the troublemakers.
Laher said community leaders would need to go to clubs, discos and snooker halls to engage with the unruly elements. "These sort of yobs (hooligans) don't come to the mosques and it is a difficult job to get them into line. They don't listen to elders, they don't listen to police and they don't listen to authority. That is the fundamental problem.
"What I'm saying is don't blame only the Muslims. We have enough problems with our youngsters. Every community has some elements who have transgressed religious and community rules. To my mind, people practicing their faith properly would not involve themselves in such behavior as thuggism, yobbism, violence, disrespectful behavior and rowdyism."
The provocations faced by HSS members are the latest reported example of Hindu- Muslim tensions in Bradford. Last April, chemist Hasmukh Shah complained his pharmacy had been targeted by unruly Muslim youths who smashed and ransacked his premises, causing up to 6,000 pounds worth of damage.
Shah, a leading member of the Vishwa
Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Britain, said trouble was sparked off following
racial clashes between whites and Asians. "Later, Muslim youths got together
and firebombed the pub where a Hindu couple were holding their engagement
party. After that, these same youths moved to my pharmacy, half a mile
away, which they smashed and ransacked. Some of them were wearing balaclavas.
They blocked the road so the fire engines could not get through."
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