London. Bharat Hindu Samaj in London has alleged that the only Hindu temple and community center is going to be closed after the cabinet decision of Peterborough City Council. Quoting sources it has been said that a Muslim organization can be given authority over that place. The Hindu community has appealed to PM Modi to save the temple.
According to media reports, Peterborough City Council’s cabinet agreed to sell the venue to help balance its budget. This center has been a central place of worship, social service and cultural activities for the last 40 years and is the only Hindu temple within a radius of 35–40 miles. The society says that about 18 thousand Hindu devotees will be affected by this decision. Here services like food for the elderly, cultural education for children and social support were provided. BHS said that they had talked to the council for 14 years and even made an offer to buy the centre, but despite this no attention was paid to changing the decision.
The community alleges that issues related to equality, minority rights and religious freedom were ignored. This is not just a matter of land or building, but a question of respect, faith and equal rights. The organization has announced that it will continue the struggle to protect its temple and its right to worship through legal and democratic means.