At the Madhav Elderly Day centre in the Great Horton area of Bradford a group of forty Hindu pensioners are complaining about the rise in tensions between them and young Muslims. They complain about being jostled in the streets. How they鈥檝e been threatened. How young men come into the centre and refuse to leave when asked to do so. Everyone, like this woman, has a story to tell
Woman
We are very scared because when ever we come to the centre, the Muslim youth in particular look upon us as if we are aliens or strangers. Our cars are not safe, the contents of this centre are not safe, our life is also threatened. There鈥檚 intimidation on the streets everyday.
Barnie Choudhury
Elsewhere in the Lidget Green area, the scene of last month鈥檚 riots, the problem appears to be worse. There are reports that families are leaving the area, too afraid to remain. People, like this man, scared of being identified even though, they鈥檙e selling up:
A: You know the street signs, someone took it off and put it through the letter box and actually damaged the middle door.
Q: How often does this happen?
A: Every other week, there鈥檚 something happening.
Q: Do you think it鈥檚 because you鈥檙e a Hindu.
A: Yes.
Q: Is that why you are leaving?
A: Yes.
Barnie Choudhury
Hasmukh Shah is a very senior international figure among Hindus. He鈥檚 one of twelve trustees of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Critics describe the VHP as a right wing fundamentalist organisation, something it denies. Mr. Shah sees himself as a victim, speaking for those too afraid to voice their concerns and some-one who won鈥檛 be silenced. During last month鈥檚 riots his pharmacy was fire-bombed. All that remains is an empty shell. It鈥檒l cost around three quarters of a million pounds to get back to where it was before the attack. Over the last ten years Mr. Shah says he's seen the Hindu community in Lidget Green and Great Horton shrink from five thousand to five hundred. He says that ninety-nine percent of Muslims are law abiding but the rest, a minority of young people, are out of control and intent on causing trouble
Hasmukh Shah
This is a clear warning to the 91热爆 Secretary and the police that if they do not want the streets of Britain to be like the Taleban controlled Afghanistan, then they have to take immediate action. This is really a demographic, systematic ethnic cleansing.
Barnie Choudhury
West Yorkshire police has confirmed it knows that some Hindu families are moving out of certain areas of Bradford. But it says officers can鈥檛 do anything without complaints and the evidence to back them up.
Ishtiaq Ahmed
鈥淎s far as I鈥檓 concerned there isn鈥檛 any real friction between Hindus and Muslims. These communities have lived together, they work together and they鈥檙e neighbour and live together.鈥
Barnie Choudhury
Muslims in Bradford vehemently deny there is any form of ethnic cleansing. They are angry that anyone should imply that religious intolerance from the Indian sub-continent has made its way to Britain. Ishtiaq Ahmed is the General Secretary for the Bradford Council of Mosques:
Ishtiaq Ahmed
鈥淎nything of that nature would not be tolerated and not accepted. Violence and intimidation no matter where it comes from, if it comes from the Muslims or Hindus is condemned.鈥
Barnie Choudhury
Several questions remain. Is this unique to Bradford? Is this the realisation of religious ghettos or a simple case of social exclusion? In Bradford young Muslims deny their fight is with the Hindus. They say it is with West Yorkshire police whom they regard as insensitive and heavy handed.
Safraz Siddiqque is a local resident who witnessed last month鈥檚 riots. The Pakistani community is angry that its youths have been painted as thugs rather than victims of racism. Most of the residents say the riots were caused by white racists intent on causing trouble. But Mr. Siddiqque says young Pakistani men have complained that the police were brutal with them, using batons for no reason, while allowing the real trouble makers to get away. Now the police has increased its presence to such an extent the youth say they feel harassed. He now fears the worst:
Safraz Siddiqque
The youth will get so mad and so exhausted by it and say. If they want trouble we鈥檒l give them trouble. It鈥檚 not a matter of saying are we being violent or looking for trouble, no, it鈥檚 just that they want to be left alone and get on with the rest of their lives.
Barnie Choudhury
Racial, and now religious, tensions appear to be apparent in Bradford. The police knows it鈥檚 in a lose-lose situation. Too little action will lead to accusations of ignoring a problem, while too much could lead to yet another confrontation:
Safraz Siddiqque
鈥淗ow long do you think they鈥檒l put up with it. If you鈥檙e continually being harassed fourteen, fifteen year olds if they鈥檙e continue to get harassed then to them it鈥檚 fun and games. When they鈥檝e gone and they鈥檙e going to cause more problems for them.鈥
Return to Barnie's report
