Belgium: Jews support demand for Hinduism's recognition

Kartik Krushna Shashthi, Kaliyug Varsha 5112

From Our Correspondent

In a remarkable interfaith gesture, Jews have come out in support of Hindus in their demand for recognition of Hinduism in Belgium.

Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, prominent Jewish leader in Nevada and California in USA, in a statement in Nevada today, said that Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion followers and Belgium was out of touch with the reality in not granting it recognition.

Rabbi Freirich further said that it was simply not right for a great country like Belgium, which hosted European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization, not to recognize one of the major world religions like Hinduism. Existence of diverse religions showed the bountifulness of the God and Belgium should respect and treat all religions equally and put an end to discriminatory practices.

Meanwhile, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, reiterated his demand for need to reform the way religious groups were recognized and financed in Belgium and asked for immediate recognition of Hinduism.

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged Belgium to show respect to the feelings of Hindus of Belgium and the world and grant immediate recognition to Hinduism which provided rich philosophical thought.

Belgian government reportedly accords recognized status to Catholicism, Protestantism (including Pentecostals and evangelicals), Anglicanism, Orthodox (Greek and Russian) Christianity, secular humanist groups, Islam, and Judaism. Representative bodies for these religious groups receive subsidies from the federal, regional, and local governments. In 2010, government paid about $127 million to recognized religious groups.

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