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The British government has issued an apology after serving meat and alcohol at a Downing Street event celebrating the festival of Diwali last month. Conservative MP Shivani Raja criticised the decision to serve the items in a letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Raja expressed disappointment at the lack of knowledge of customs and traditions that many British citizens hold dear.
A Downing Street spokesperson acknowledged the mistake made in organising the event and apologised for any offence caused. The statement also assured the community that such an oversight would not happen again in the future.
Downing Street first began hosting events to commemorate Diwali in 2009 and the tradition has continued under successive prime ministers. In 2022, Rishi Sunak became the UK’s first Hindu prime minister. Diwali is a five-day festival celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains that symbolises new beginnings, triumph of light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance.
While there are different interpretations on how Hindus should treat animals, cows are considered sacred, and many choose not to eat beef. Other practitioners of the faith choose to abstain from meat altogether. Practising Sikhs and Jains also avoid alcohol and many choose to be vegetarian.
Despite the incident, a Downing Street spokesperson affirmed the prime minister’s commitment to celebrating Diwali and recognising the significant contribution the British Hindu, Sikh, and Jain communities make to the country. The government affirms its alignment with the shared values of hard work, ambition, and aspiration
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