The first night of the indian activist film festival at the rampART went ahead without hitch and no show from the rightwing Hindu groups that have been trying to get the festival canceled. Over one hundred people turned up but there was no indication that any dissenting Hindus were present. The was a great deal of media attention during the day from Channel 4, BBC Asian Network and many papers, all seemingly finding a story in comparing the resent attacks on the theatre in Birmingham. Many people have been offering to be on call to come down if there is any trouble during the rest of the week and yet another alterative venue offered. Aditionally it looks like quite a few further screenings elsewhere in the country will be spawned from this one.
Despite the no show, it appears the UK VHP have been busy during the day making statements to the press...
Despite the no show, it appears the UK VHP have been busy during the day making statements to the press...
VHP on Behzti warpath in UK
RASHMEE Z AHMED
INDIA IMES
TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2005
LONDON: Hindu activists in the UK have threatened to copy last month's violent Sikh protests in Birmingham against an allegedly blasphemous play, in an attempt to scupper the screening of films that badmouth Hindu organisations like VHP and RSS.
The films, which include Ram ke Naam and Gujarat, a Laboratory of Hindu Rashtra, have previously been screened in London but have now prompted fears that groups representing the UK's estimated one-million Hindus will find it hard to collect the millions of pounds they plan to raise for the Tsunami rehabilitation effort.
The films are to be screened as part of a six-day ‘Indian film festival', starting Monday, by RampART, a loose collective of artistes and activists here, to raise money for Tsunami victims and "create spaces for debate and discussion on casteism, adivasi rights and communalism."
But on Monday, Hasmukh Shah of VHP (UK) said, the films' screening was part of a long campaign by "habitual false allegators (sic) to spread habitual false allegations about Hindus."
Shah said the Sikh protests in Birmingham, which forced closure of a play, Behzti, set in a gurdwara, were "very encouraging and showed us that Hindus should not always be docile, should not always turn the other cheek."
RASHMEE Z AHMED
INDIA IMES
TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2005
LONDON: Hindu activists in the UK have threatened to copy last month's violent Sikh protests in Birmingham against an allegedly blasphemous play, in an attempt to scupper the screening of films that badmouth Hindu organisations like VHP and RSS.
The films, which include Ram ke Naam and Gujarat, a Laboratory of Hindu Rashtra, have previously been screened in London but have now prompted fears that groups representing the UK's estimated one-million Hindus will find it hard to collect the millions of pounds they plan to raise for the Tsunami rehabilitation effort.
The films are to be screened as part of a six-day ‘Indian film festival', starting Monday, by RampART, a loose collective of artistes and activists here, to raise money for Tsunami victims and "create spaces for debate and discussion on casteism, adivasi rights and communalism."
But on Monday, Hasmukh Shah of VHP (UK) said, the films' screening was part of a long campaign by "habitual false allegators (sic) to spread habitual false allegations about Hindus."
Shah said the Sikh protests in Birmingham, which forced closure of a play, Behzti, set in a gurdwara, were "very encouraging and showed us that Hindus should not always be docile, should not always turn the other cheek."
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