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There used to be a laundry in the Ringsend area of Dublin, up until the 1960s, called 'The Swastika Laundry'. It had nothing to do with Nazis.
Hindus want to 'reclaim' swastika
The swastika is the second-most sacred Hindu symbol
Hindus in the UK are starting a campaign to reclaim the swastika from its Nazi associations.
German MEPs called for a Europe-wide ban of the symbol after Prince Harry wore it on a fancy dress costume.
But Hindu Forum spokesman Ramesh Kallidai said the swastika had been a Hindu good luck charm for centuries.
The group will stage public awareness workshops across the UK and lobby politicians in an attempt to educate the public and prevent a ban, he said.
"It's the second most sacred symbol in the Hindu tradition which has been used for 5,000 years to ward off evil," Mr Kallidai said.
The forum would make a particular effort to get the message across to Jewish groups, he added.
"After all it is the Jewish anguish that needs to be considered. They were the community that was most affected by the misuse of the swastika so naturally they would have concerns.
"Hindus use the swastika merely as a religious sacrament, to express their devotion to God, surely nobody can have any objections to that," he said.
'Mirror image'
Displaying the swastika is illegal in Germany.
However, Mr Kallidai said a similar ban in the UK would have an adverse affect on Hindus who regarded a swastika in much the same way as a Christian viewed a cross.
Buddhists also view the swastika as a good luck charm
"You find it in houses, temples and in portraits of Hindu gods. A swastika is even painted on the head of a baby who's just had his first hair-cutting sacrament," he said.
The Hindu swastika faces to the right, unlike the one adopted by the Nazis which faces to the left.
It is also traditionally red, a colour regarded as auspicious by Hindus.
"Just because at a particular moment in history one section of society used it, or a mirror image, to unleash xenophobic ideology does not mean Hindus should be punished," Mr Kallidai said.
"It's like saying the Ku Klux Klan burn crosses so therefore let's ban the use of crosses worldwide."
'Positive symbol'
The Hindu Forum's campaign has gained backing from other groups.
Maganbhai Patel of Leicester's Hindu Association said the general public's confusion needed to be addressed.
When I got married, literally as soon as you entered the hall where the marriage took place you saw swastikas everywhere
Kapil Dudakia,
Milton Keynes Hindu Association
"Hindus have been using the swastika for centuries, whereas it was only adopted by Hitler comparatively recently, in the 1920s and 1930s.
"We use it for marriage ceremonies and also for other religious ceremonies and events," Mr Patel said.
And Kapil Dudakia, of Milton Keynes Hindu Association, said the swastika was viewed "positively" by billions of people around the world including followers of the Buddhist and Jain faiths.
"When I got married, literally as soon as you entered the hall where the marriage took place you saw swastikas everywhere. They were also on the invitation cards," he said.
"It's only in certain quarters of the western world where you've got these very negative connotations.
"What we've got to do is separate the evil of Hitler and his ideology from the symbol of the swastika which actually means something quite different," Mr Dudakia said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4188141.stm
The Hindu swastika faces to the right, unlike the one adopted by the Nazis which faces to the left.
Quote:
The Hindu swastika faces to the right, unlike the one adopted by the Nazis which faces to the left.
But this isn't really true. Both left and right turning swastikas are found in Indian/Tibetan/where-ever art, often alternating in a nice pattern.
Hindus opposing EU swastika ban
The Nazis hijacked the symbol from its Hindu origins
Hindus in Europe have joined forces against a German proposal to ban the display of the swastika across the European Union, a Hindu leader said.
Ramesh Kallidai of the Hindu Forum of Britain said the swastika had been a symbol of peace for thousands of years before the Nazis adopted it.
He said a ban on the symbol would discriminate against Hindus.
Germany, holder of the EU presidency, wants to make Holocaust denial and the display of Nazi symbols a crime.
Mr Kallidai said his organisation was writing to European lawmakers to highlight the issue.
The swastika has been around for 5,000 years as a symbol of peace,
Ramesh Kallidai
Origins of the swastika
Hindu groups in Holland, Belgium and Italy were also involved in the campaign, he said.
"The swastika has been around for 5,000 years as a symbol of peace," he said. "This is exactly the opposite of how it was used by Hitler."
He said that while the Nazi implications of the symbol should be condemned, people should respect the Hindu use of the swastika.
"Just because Hitler misused the symbol, abused it and used it to propagate a reign of terror and racism and discrimination, it does not mean that its peaceful use should be banned."
The group said banning the swastika was equivalent to banning the cross simply because the Ku Klux Klan had used burning crosses.
The swastika is already banned in Germany. A previous attempt to ban it across the EU in early 2005 failed after objections from several governments, including the British.
Germany took over the six-month EU presidency on 1 January.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6269627.stm
Do you think the Hammer & Sickle emblem should be banned because it was used by Stalinists?
I'm sure a fair few atheists and secularists would probably want the cross to be baned anywayramonmercado said:The group said banning the swastika was equivalent to banning the cross simply because the Ku Klux Klan had used burning crosses.
ghostdog19 said:I'm sure a fair few atheists and secularists would probably want the cross to be baned anywayramonmercado said:The group said banning the swastika was equivalent to banning the cross simply because the Ku Klux Klan had used burning crosses.
No, i have one hanging in my room at the mo coincidentally! Just since
sunday.I bought it in a local east german memorabila store(its now
actually a chain store, DDR nostalgia is good business i guess!) You
see them around sometimes. Im sure there were a few at the LL demo
sunday, but you get so used to them.
The national socialist flat is banned of course!
there were a few at the LL demo sunday