LONDON, UK — [Feb 27, 2026] — Hindus for Human Rights UK supports and endorses the report by the Independent Commission of Inquiry into the 2022 Leicester Violence.
The independent inquiry has reported that there were ‘significant failings’ on the part of government, police, and other authorities with regard to the Leicester 2022 riots.
It confirms the role of Hindu nationalist actors who ‘inflamed’ division, some of whom were ‘backed by elements of the Indian government’.
The report also recognises the violence that took place against Hindus, with one Hindu man stabbed by Muslim youths who mistook ordinary Hindu symbolism for far-right, Hindutva ideological imagery.
Misinformation and “fear speech” were spread by Hindu nationalist organisations from within the UK and from India, as well as by some “political Islamist individuals in the UK”.
As progressive Hindus we reject the predictable accusations that this report is in any way Hinduphobic or anti-Hindu. It is a rigorously researched, comprehensive account of a complex set of events.
Hindutva must be treated as extremism. Youth services, education, and secular spaces require targeted investment. Policing and government efforts must be upgraded for accountability and efficacy in bridging between communities. These are just some of the extensive recommendations made by the researchers.
Rajiv Sinha, Director of Hindus for Human Rights UK, said:
“This inquiry makes clear that community safety depends on confronting the extremist politics that weaponise Hindu identity to inflame division. Its findings and recommendations offer a practical path forward — grounded in accountability, investment in prevention, and rebuilding trust across communities.”
We endorse these findings because accountability and clarity are the only way to prevent a repeat of 2022. Protecting all communities, including Hindus, from violence and rejecting Hindu nationalism are not competing commitments—they are inseparable. If authorities act on the report’s recommendations and communities refuse fear-based politics in all its forms, Leicester can move from crisis toward repair, safety, and a genuinely shared civic life.
Media enquiries / interview requests
Rajiv Sinha
Executive Director, Hindus for Human Rights UK
Email: [email protected]
Phone / WhatsApp / Signal: 07478 708 316
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