Far-right British politician Nigel Farage on Tuesday blamed the country’s policymakers for encouraging diversity and multiculturalism for the violence in Leicester between Hindus and Muslims following an India and Pakistan cricket match on August 28.

In a tweet, Farage held all British MPs responsible for the “ethnic and religious violence” in Leicester.

“They decided to go down the road of diversity and multiculturalism,” he wrote in a tweet along a video in which some men can be seen attacking others as the police try to control the situation. Chants of “Jai Shri Ram”, meaning victory to Hindu deity Ram, can be heard in the background.

Speaking to British channel GB News on Tuesday, Farage claimed that the “immigration crisis” that was triggered by Britain allowing mass immigration since 1997 was the reason for the violence.

Farage is the founder of right-wing Brexit Party, which was later renamed Reform UK. The party advocated for withdrawing completely from the European Union in the 2016 referendum that later came to be known as Brexit, a portmanteau of British and exit. He resigned as the leader of the Brexit Party in March last year.

Farage is also a presenter at GB News, which is viewed as right-leaning on political matters.

Leicester violence

Following the tension on August 28, another flare-up was reported on September 17 between Hindus and Muslims after an unauthorised protest march was held in the city.

Videos shared on social media showed protestors throwing glass bottles and carrying sticks and batons.

A Hindu temple in the city was vandalised and unidentified persons pulled down a saffron flag outside it. The police have arrested 47 persons in connection with the violence.

On September 19, the Indian High Commission in London had sought immediate action against those involved in the attacks.

However, while criticising the violence, the High Commission only mentioned the “vandalisation of premises and symbols of Hindu religion”, even though videos on social media showed that the Muslim community had also been attacked.

On Tuesday, the Muslim Council of Britain had criticised the Indian High Commission in London for speaking only about the attacks on Hindus in Leicester.

“British Indian communities expect a balanced view from the Indian High Commission, which represents all of the diaspora, which can help heal divisions locally,” the body had said in a statement.

The development came on the same day when Hindu and Muslim leaders in Leicester called for an immediate end to violence in the city in a joint statement.

“We together call upon the immediate cessation of provocation and violence, both in thought and behaviour,” a representative of the group said. “We together call upon the inciters of hatred to leave our city alone.”

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