UK mob violence exposes deep, disturbing reach of India’s Hindutva agenda in diaspora

Clashes in Leicester and elsewhere highlight deep divisions caused by Hindutva groups, who use hardline nationalism to help diaspora ‘hold on to their roots’

Displays of Hindutva nationalism are likely to be more frequent, violent as such groups extend reach in diaspora communities, analysts note

Reading Time:5 minutes

A man wearing a mask of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves a flag of his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party during a rally in December 2019. Photo: AP

Published: 4:00pm, 15 Oct 2022

A string of controversial events involving Indian communities around the world, from violence to sectarian politics, have recently thrown into sharp relief the existence of strong and active global networks of Hindu nationalists.

Such controversies are likely to become more frequent and bring violent repercussions, analysts warn, as Hindu nationalists grow stronger and bolder across continents, secure in their backing by India’s powerful Hindu nationalist – also known as Hindutva – ecosystem and the Narendra Modi government in New Delhi.

Over the last two months, clashes broke out repeatedly between members of the Hindu and the Muslim communities in the British city of Leicester, over reasons from a cricket match to rumours and distrust triggered by social media disinformation.

According to local reports, fans packed the city’s streets after the Indian team lost a cricket match to arch-rivals Pakistan in August, chanting slogans such as Pakistan Murdabad (Death to Pakistan) to Jai Shri Ram (Hail, Lord Ram).

Violence continued to erupt in September. Leicester police arrested at least 55 people in September for offences including common assault, violent disorder and possession of offensive weapons.