KRISHNA MOVES INTO THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT - HOUSE OF COMMONS

[Guest guest]

Dear Maharajas and Prabhus

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. May

this meet you well.

 

At the "Diwali in the House of Commons" 2003 function it dawned upon us that

there should be a "Janmashtami in the House of Commons".

 

This idea came to fruition when recently we celebrated the event in the

House of Commons: (see message from the British Prime Minister below)

 

KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI MAKES HISTORY IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

 

The Members' Dining Room at the House of Commons, which was transformed from

its usual quaint wall-to-wall wooden panelled decor, to a traditional Hindu

temple, hosted over 300 leaders and representatives from the British Hindu

community on the 7th of September 2004. In attendance were the deputy Prime

Minister, various Ministers, MPs, Peers, the Indian High Commissioner and

the Mayor of London, participating in the first ever celebration of Lord

Krishna's birth in the House of Commons.

 

Bhakti Vijnana Swami, ISKCON representative from Moscow, noticed 'It is for

the first time that one of the most important Hindu holidays, Sri Krishna

Janmashtami, is being celebrated in the world's oldest Parliament. And it is

for the first time that a Russian-born Hindu monk is addressing all of you

for the occasion. Now I have every hope that the First Hindu temple in

Russia, which we are constructing, despite all the difficulties we

encounter, will soon receive all of you for a similarly warm Janmashtami

celebration as we enjoy here today'

 

Mr. Tony McNulty MP, who conducted the programme, remarked, 'This is a

historic event in the British Parliament, which should become an annual

event.'

 

Mr. John Prescott MP, the Deputy Prime Minister, congratulated the Hindu

community for holding the first ever birth of Lord Krishna in the House of

Commons and said, 'I have been to India seven times and have learnt a lot

about India and its culture. I am reminded of the historical ties between

India and Britain with festivities like these'.

 

'Normally one goes to a temple to celebrate the festival of Janmashtami but

today the temple has come to the House of Commons' said, Mr. Gareth Thomas

MP, Minister for Department for International Development.

 

Mr. Barry Gardiner MP, Minister for Northern Ireland, commented 'two days

ago I was at the Bhaktivedanta Manor and the image of the child, with the

butter, killing the demons has remained with me. Central demoniac power is

that which destroys the innocence in children. The festival of Janmashtami

shows how the demoniac powers can be overcome'.

 

Mr. Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, applauded the Indian community of

London for their great contribution and recognised the great step taken by

the Hindu community to organise the festival of Janmashtami at the House of

Commons.

 

Mr. Peter Luff MP, the Chair of the Conservative Friends of India, said 'I

welcome the celebration of Krishna's birth at the House of Commons, which

has been organised by Tony McNulty, Abhay Lakhani, ISKCON and NCHT (UK), for

the British Hindu community, which plays an important role in the fabric of

the British society.'

 

Mr. Kamlesh Sharma, the Indian High Commissioner, acknowledged the

importance of having a spiritual base in society and said 'observance of

Krishna Janmashtami in the House of Commons is a significant event'. He also

added that people of a great nation, Indians, are privileged to live in

another great nation, England.

 

MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER:

 

"I am delighted to send my very best wishes to everyone attending the

Janmashtami celebration at the House of Commons organised by Tony McNulty MP

and supported by ISKCON and the National Council of Hindu Temples.

 

Janmashtami, the birth of Lord Krishna, is a festival that teaches us the

values of family, the importance of justice, and the significance of faith.

As such it is a festival whose values are shared by all faith traditions.

 

I understand that this is the first time that Janmashtami has been

celebrated in the House of Commons. It is a tribute to the very positive

contribution that the Hindu community has made to all aspects of life in the

UK.

 

Once again, congratulations to everyone involved in this event and I offer

my best wishes and greetings to the Hindu community in Britain on this

joyous occasion."

 

TONY BLAIR.

 

MPs in Attendance:

 

1) Mr. John Prescott MP, the Deputy Prime Minister

2) Mr. Stephen Pound MP, Chair of the Labour Friends of India

3) Mr. Andrew Dismore MP

4) Mr. Rob Morris MP

5) Mr. Tim Boswell MP

6) Mr. Graham Brady MP

7) Mr. John Randell MP

8) Mr. John Heppell MP

9) Mr. Steve McCube MP

10) Mr. Peter Luff MP, Chair of the Conservative Friends of India

11) Mr. Paramjit Singh Gill MP

12) Mr. Dennis Turner MP

13) Mr. Keith Vaz MP

14) Mr. James Clappison MP

15) Mr. Rudy Vis MP

16) Mr. Ken Purchase MP

17) Mr. Hywel Williams

18) Mr. K. Mountford MP

 

Ministers in Attendance:

 

19) Mr. Tony McNulty, Minister for Transport

20) Mr. Barry Gardiner MP, Minister for Northern Ireland

21) Mr. Gareth Thomas, Minister for Development for International

Development

22) Ms. Fiona Mactaggart MP, the Parliamentary under Secretary in the

Home Office with responsibility for race equality, community policy

and civic renew

23) Patricia Hewitt MP, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

and Minister for Women and Equality

 

Peers in Attendance:

 

24) Lord Navnit Dholakia

25) Lord Swraj Paul

26) Lord Naren Patel

 

Others dignitories in Attendance:

 

27) Mr. Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London

28) Mr. Kamlesh Sharma, Indian High Commissioner

29) Mr. Rajat Bagchi, Minister for Co-ordination, Indian High Commission

30) HG. Praghosa dasa, GBC ISKCON UK

31) HG. Gauri dasa - TP Bhaktivedanta Manor

32) HG. Kripa Moya dasa - Bhaktivedanta Manor

33) HG. Sruti-dharma dasa - Bhaktivedanta Manor

34) HG. Prananbandhu dasa - Bhaktivedanta Manor

35) HG. Mahadyuti dasa - ISKCON Soho

 

Note:

 

Above edited media release from the NCHT.