No 10 has apologised after meat and alcohol had been served at a Downing Road occasion to have fun the competition of Diwali, held final month.
In a letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Conservative MP Shivani Raja mentioned the choice was “not in step with the customs of many Hindus” and displayed a “disappointing lack of expertise of the customs and traditions that many British residents maintain expensive”.
In an announcement, first reported by Politico, a Downing Road spokesman mentioned “a mistake was made within the organisation of the occasion”.
“We perceive the power of feeling on this challenge and so would apologise to the group and guarantee them it won’t occur once more,” he added.
Downing Road first started internet hosting occasions to have fun Diwali in 2009 beneath then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
The custom has continued beneath successive prime ministers, together with Rishi Sunak, who in 2022 grew to become the UK’s first Hindu prime minister.
The five-day competition, celebrated by Sikhs and Jains in addition to Hindus, symbolises new beginnings, the triumph of sunshine over darkness, good over evil and data over ignorance.
There are completely different interpretations on how Hindus ought to deal with animals, nonetheless cows are thought of a sacred animal and lots of select to not eat beef, whereas others keep away from meat altogether.
Practising Sikhs and Jains are additionally vegetarians and abstain from alcohol.
A Downing Road spokesman mentioned: “The prime minister was happy to welcome a variety of communities celebrating Diwali to a reception in Downing Road.
“He paid tribute to the large contribution the British Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities make to our nation and the way the federal government is pushed by the shared values of onerous work, ambition and aspiration.”