Hinduism in Malta

Hindu is a minority religion in Malta. Hinduism along with other Indian religions are labelled as cults in Malta[1]There are estimated 100 Sindhi Hindu families in Malta.[2]

Community life

There are about a hundred Sindhi Hindu families in Malta. With recent arrival of skilled, semi skilled and unskilled workers from India the number of Hindus and Hinduism related religions may now number in their 1000s. Added there are a few Hindus at the Indian built Aurobindo Pharmaceutical Plant in Hal Far and some others in Malta's Enemalta plc and India's Streamcast Technologies Inc., part of the India's Streamcast Group for the development of a Euro 75 million high-end data centre in Marsa. There is religious discrimination in Malta and Hinduism and related religions are not recognised in Malta. Religions of Indian origin are described as Cults in Malta. There is no Hindu temples and after the British left Malta the Hindu deceased are buried under Catholic burial rites instead of being cremated. as required by Indian origin religions. A 1st floor flat is used as 'Maltese-Indian Community Centre', with address 'Sukh Sagar', 25 Triq Bella Vista, San Gwann SGN 2690 [3]

Hindus in Malta privately celebrate Diwali, Holi[4] Onam[5] and other Hindu festivals.

Status

Hinduism with religions of Indian origin (Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism) and Judaism are unfortunately not recognised in Malta and treated as cults. In 2010, Hindu and Jewish groups urged Pope Benedict XVI to intervene to ensure that Malta treats all religions equally before the law.[1], but the Pope did not intervene. Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, with Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, a Jewish leader in California and Nevada in the US, said in a statement in Nevada that he believed the Catholic Church in Malta was not serious about sharing the minority religious viewpoint, and that he was disappointed that they did not want to discuss issues of religious equality with minority religions and denominations.[6] With the arrival of Indian High Commission to Malta in 2018 the religious discrimination and difficulties of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains in practise of their religion in Malta has been brought to the attention of the Indian High Commission in Malta.

See also

References
  1. "Hindus seek Pope's intervention to bring equality of religions in Malta". Timesofmalta.com. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  2. https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/blogs/51779/the_changing_map_of_world_religions
  3. "Religious Communities To Join If You've Just Moved To Malta". lovinmalta.com.
  4. "Malta's Indian community heralds spring with colour". Timesofmalta.com. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  5. "WATCH: Kerala Indians in Malta celebrate Onam Festival in a big way - TVM News". Tvm.com.mt. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  6. "Pope Disappoints members of the Hindu and Jewish Community - ChakraNews.com". chakranews.com. 19 February 2010.
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