UK Hindu Forum condemns Mumbai attacks

LONDON: The Hindu Forum of Britain today joined leading politicians and people of Indian origin to condemn the terror attacks in Mumbai while the Indian high commission here opened a 24-hour helpline.

"India has borne the brunt of religious terrorism in the South Asian region for over 50 years," said Ramesh Kallidai, secretary general of the Hindu Forum of Britain.

"The West seems to have woken up to it only since 9/11, but India continues to sacrifice innocent lives to religious terrorists often supported by Islamic groups in Pakistan," he added.

Kallidai also favoured better coordination between Indian and British intelligence agencies to tackle the menace of terrorism.

"We urge the government to increase cooperation between British and Indian intelligence to weed out this problem that strikes at the very core of human dignity and ethical values," Kallidai said.

Organisations like the Hindu Council of Birmingham, Hindu Council of Brent, Hindu Council Harrow and the Hindu Council of the North also condemned the terror attacks in Mumbai that claimed at least 80 lives, including that of Anti-Terrorism Squad Chief Hemant Karkare.

In a letter to Indian High Commissioner S S Mukherjee, Barry Gardiner, a Labour MP closely associated with the forum Labour Friends of India, said justice and rule of law will prevail.

"India will not be bowed, democracy will not be defeated," he wrote.