UK hindu temple rocked by terror claims

ANI[ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2005 12:53:58 PM ]

LONDON: The famous Swaminarayan Temple in North London has been accused of harbouring extremist groups, a claim that has been strenuously denied by the temple.
But the accusations have continued, which has found its echo in the British Parliament and local media. The allegations were made by a political activist, Jagdeesh Singh, who alleged that groups such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad have been allowed to use the temple as a base for extremist activity. Calling the VHP a terrorist outfit, he said the outfit was using the temple for its own ends. The Labour Friends of India, led by vice-president Andrew Dismore, protested in the House of Commons. "This House considers these allegations to be totally without foundation and abhorrent to a community which itself has suffered a terrorist attack. These allegations have also caused profound offence to the wider Hindu community in the UK," Dismore said. But Singh has stood by his claims. He was quoted by the Eastern Eye newspaper as saying: "Although there is no substantial or visual evidence that the temple is allowing these organisations to use facilities there, there have nevertheless been reports that the temple does indeed allow it to be used as a base for these groups' discussions." "We are not attacking the Hindu community as a whole, we simply want such right wing groups to be banned," he added. A spokesman for the temple, Yogesh Patel, maintained no outside groups have ever used their facilities. "We are deeply hurt and outraged by these false allegations. They are inflammatory and irresponsible and are utterly without foundation," he said. However, Singh is unrelenting. "We want to bring these groups to the attention of the Government and prompt action against them. There is substantial evidence that they wage a campaign of hatred and violence against minority communities in India," he says.