Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the position of the government of India in respect of campaigns in that country to convert non-Hindus to Hinduism; and what is their assessment of the impact of such action on religious minorities in that country.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We are aware of the Hindutva movement, a form of Hindu nationalism in India. However, the Constitution of India guarantees freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice and propagate religion. The Indian government has a range of policies and programmes to support religious minorities. More recently, Prime Minister Modi reassured religious groups that every citizen has the right to follow any faith without coercion and vowed to protect all religious groups in India. However, we are aware that incidents of discrimination against minority communities do happen. British Ministers and officials from our High Commission in New Delhi discuss religious and minority issues with the Indian National Commission for Minorities and senior faith leaders. Most recently Minister of State at the Home Office with responsibility for Crime Prevention, my right Hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Lynne Featherstone), met the Indian Minister for Minorities in January. During their visit to India in February, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association also met the Indian Minister for Minorities and discussed religious freedom. We will continue to maintain a dialogue with the new Indian government about religious and minority rights issues.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans his Department has to honour in London the contribution of Indian troops to the First World War.
Answered by Helen Grant
Up to 1.5 million volunteers from India served on various fronts during the First World War. The role India played in the Gallipoli campaign will be reflected in the UK's commemorative services being held at Cape Helles in Turkey and at the Cenotaph in London on 24th and 25th April respectively.
The DCMS is facilitating a multi faith event at the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester on 10th March, the centenary of the second Battle of Neuve Chapelle, the first major engagement of Indian troops on the Western Front. This is bringing together British Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs to honour the contribution of their forebears and to commit themselves to continue working together for the good of society.