British Hindu school gives up vegan policy

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LONDON, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- London's Krishna-Avanti school, the first Hindu state school in Britain, has shelved its reported vegetarians-only admission rule after local criticism.The school in London's Harrow district stirred up a controversy among the local community and with the Hindu Council U.K. after it announced that only students would be accepted for the September semester who met the institution's definition of a practicing Hindu, apparently meaning Hindus who are vegetarians, Britain's Daily Telegraph reported Friday.The admission policy defined a practicing Hindu as one who

performed daily prayers, did charity work once a week at the temples, practiced the teachings of the ancient Hindu scriptures and abstained from eating meat, fish or eggs.The policy came under attack from the Hindu Council and others, who said the policy would automatically rule out most of the 15,000 Hindu children in the community, the report said.In the Hindu tradition, there are both vegetarians as well as non-vegetarians.The school, whose enrollment is expected to far exceed its target, has now decided the issue of a practicing Hindu would be settled by local Temples, the report said.The head of the Hindu Council welcomed the rule change, adding the Krishna-Avanti school "is a significant venture for the U.K. Hindu community.''

Peter H

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