UK opposition labour party leader Keir Starmer on Thursday said that his party was committed to fight against hate crimes after the communal clashes in Leicester and Birmingham following an India-Pakistan cricket match last month. In a direct reference to the term “Hinduphobia”, the leader addressing a Navratri celebrations said,

“Hinduphobia has absolutely no place in our society anywhere and we must all fight this together.”

Read more: Have concerns about open borders migration policy with India: UK home secretary

“I know that many people are targeted based on their religion and there’s been a rise in hate crimes in recent years. I’m so tired of our divisive politics. I’m saddened by the division we have seen on the streets of Leicester and Birmingham in recent weeks; violence and hatred spread by extremists exploiting social media. We must all together stand firm against all attempts to spread hate,” he added.

Attending the Dussehra celebrations in London for the first time, Keir Starmer spoke of the deeper significance of the festival.

“The fires that burn effigies of Ravana all over the world serve as a reminder of our need to extinguish the evil that’s facing our society – the need to defeat poverty, injustice, hate and to attack our own shadows and bad habits,” Keir Starmer said.

Read more: Indian-origin UK min blames Leicester clashes on new migrants: ‘Not racist to…’

“I want to take this opportunity to thank the Hindu community for your contribution to Britain, for everything you do for us, whether its culture, business, the financial sector, the NHS, supporting your community through the cost of living. Your contribution to Britain is huge. You are an integral part of Britain, the past, the present and very much the future,” he added.