HINDU FORUM OF BRITAIN LAUNCHED
(20 March 2004)

Over 100 Hindu organisations from different regions of Britain united together to form what they called "an umbrella body with a difference, to make a difference". The Hindu Forum of Britain (HFB) was launched on 20th March 2004 by member organisations from the regional Hindu Councils of Brent, Harrow, Birmingham, Leicester and the North, beside many other regional bodies and Temples.

The organisation was formed as a result of a mandate given by the community at the Hindu Security Conference on 14th December that was attended by more than 500 representatives from over 150 Hindu organisations. The Security Conference came about after the attacks on the Ealing Road temple during the Diwali festival in 2003.

Ishwer Tailor, President of Gujarat Hindu Society, which is the largest temple from the North was duly elected President of the HFB. Four regional Vice Presidents, Venilal Vaghela for London and South, Jyotsna Thanki for West Midlands, Raman Barber for East Midlands and Chhotabhai Limbachia for the North were also elected.

Tailor explained that the Hindu Forum would focus on practical issues for Hindus in Britain, and added, "We have project plans for two or three main agendas in the first year. Education being one of our key priorities, as is building an infrastructure for communication and networking within the community. The Hindu Forum will engage in community consultation at different levels to identify the needs and requirements of the community at the ground level."

C B Patel, publisher of Asian Voice-Gujarat Samachar who was elected Chairman of the Patrons Council of the Hindu Forum said, "The national agenda we have defined clearly identifies a gap in what is being delivered and that which Hindus expect. We will work closely with other organisations and the establishment to narrow this gap."

"We are seeking to bring in a paradigm shift in the way and manner in which the Hindu community organises itself so that it better affects and impacts on the life and work of the whole community," explained Ramesh Kallidai, who was elected General Secretary of the organisation. "We are promoting a culture of responsibility and accountability for all office bearers in all organisations. This means a systematic methodology of assuring quality of care and service for all our members'.

"The Hindu Forum is focusing on project-based deliverables," explained Jyotsna Thanki, President of the Hindu Council of Birmingham. "We have already appointed talented individuals with experience in education, empowerment and capacity building, security issues, race, diversity and community cohesion, women's issues, publications, legal and parliamentary affairs, community consultation and other areas as in line with expectations."

The Hindu Forum has held discussions with the Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan Police on security issues and will be facilitating bi-annual meetings. "We also had a meeting with the Home Office to discuss our national agenda," explained Venilal Vaghela, Chair of the Hindu Council of Brent. "We are working on the first phase of a security consultancy project that will affect many temples in Britain."

Raman Barber announced the Hindu Forum's plans to conduct a series of travelling road shows starting in May that will visit at least eight cities. "The Dharma Yatra road show as it will be known will be an opportunity for HFB to present the national agenda to community leaders from different regions, and to seek their comments and feedback," he explained. "This will be a major exercise in community consultation facilitated by the Hindu Forum."

In June, the Forum is planning a two-day event to train member organisations in public relations and project management. "This is in keeping with the Hindu Forum's focus to support empowerment and capacity building of regional communities," explained Ratilal Chohan, Secretary of the Hindu Council of North.

Other prominent organisations that helped form HFB include the Sanatan Hindu Mandir and Gujarat Hindu Association from Leicester, the Federation of Brahmin Associations of Europe, Shree Lakshminaryan Temple from Birmingham, Birmingham Pragati Mandal and the Shree Kutch Leva Patel Community.

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