Nevada (US), April 22 (ANI): The Hindus have strongly criticized Hungarian government for failing to protect its Roma (Gypsy) population.
Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that it clearly showed the failure of Hungarian government machinery when Red Cross had to reportedly move in to evacuate hundreds of Roma women and children from Gyongyospata on April 22 to undisclosed location to save them from far-right vigilantes.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, argued that Hungary was showing two faces to the world. While one of the 13 "Main Issues" tackled by Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union was "Creating a European roma policy", on the other hand it was practically looking the other way when on its own land Roma were being maltreated.
There were reports that far-right groups had patrolled some villages/towns in the past intimidating Roma living there.
Rajan Zed asked for European Union (EU) intervention in Hungary to protect its Roma minority. Already marginalized, deprived, and discriminated against Roma should not be blamed for all the misfortune of Hungary, he said and added that Hungary and EU should make sure that racism and hatred did not grow in Hungary.
Zed further said that in Hungary, despite various government initiatives, Roma reportedly continued to face blatant discrimination, shanty town living, an atmosphere of hostility, huge unemployment rate, lower life expectancy, prejudice, significantly higher school dropout rate, racism, bias and stereotyping, school segregation, social exclusion, mistrust, human rights violations, etc. According to an estimate, less than 1% of Roma obtained higher education degrees.
Rajan Zed pointed out that instead of reportedly continuing to marginalize Roma socially, this country of Lake Balaton, romantic Danube River, Franz Liszt and Bela Bartok should be more embracing of Roma brothers and sisters who had been reportedly living with them since 14th century. Zed urged all religious leaders, religions and denominations of Hungary to work for the upliftment of Roma, because religion told us to help the helpless.
Roma in Hungary form about ten percent of total Hungary populace, which makes it largest Roma minority as percentage of total population in the world. Current demographic trends indicate that in 2050, about 21 percentage of Hungary population will be Roma.
Zed stressed that it was moral obligation of Europe to take care of its largest minority Roma population and stop human rights violations suffered by them, who numbered around 15 million and lived in apartheid like conditions. There seemed to be no coherent and effective policy to assimilate them into the society. Their alarming condition was a social blight for Europe and the rest of the world.(ANI)
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