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Downing Street has been forced to apologised to British Hindus after meat and alcohol were served at an annual Diwali celebration.
Number 10 said that a “mistake” had been made and pledged “it will not happen again”.
Hinduism does not have a clear prohibition on alcohol or meat consumption, but many Hindus choose not to drink and some are also vegetarian.
The event sparked a series of complaints, including from Shivani Raja, the Conservative MP for Leicester East, who said she was “greatly concerned” and “deeply saddened”.
Downing Street has held a Diwali celebration for the last 15 years. However, the event came to greater prominence under the premiership of Britain’s first Hindu prime minister Rishi Sunak, who was pictured lighting traditional candles with his family outside No 10.
A Number 10 spokesperson said that a “mistake was made in the organisation of the event. We understand the strength of feeling on this issue and so would apologise to the community and assure them it will not happen again.”
They added that Keir Starmer had been pleased to welcome a range of communities celebrating Diwali to the reception.
“He paid tribute to the huge contribution the British Hindu, Sikh & Jain communities make to our country and how the government is driven by the shared values of hard work, ambition and aspiration,” they added.
In a letter to prime minister, Ms Raja had said she was “greatly concerned” to hear that attendees of this year’s celebration were offered meat and alcohol.
“I feel this speaks poorly against the organisation of this year’s event – with a disappointing lack of knowledge of the customs and traditions that many British citizens hold dear,” she said.
“As a practising Hindu, representing thousands of Hindus within my own constituency of Leicester East, I have been deeply saddened to hear that this year’s festivities were overshadowed in the greatest Office of State by negativity, as a result of this oversight.”
