Hindus, the “Tebbit Test” & Terrorism in London
It was back in 1990 when former Conservative chairman Lord Tebbit proposed the “Cricket Team Test”, also known as the “Tebbit Test.” According to Lord Tebbit, ethnic minorities should support British teams over those of their country of origin. If they did not, this would pose a problem to British society. His comments were recalled time and time again when it was observed that the vast majority of immigrants from other countries, of which India and Pakistan were the foremost, strongly supported the cricket team of their country of origin over England. Furthermore was the fact that even the vast majority of British-born Indians and Pakistanis passionately supported their country of origin.
May 22nd, 2008 at 7:20 am
I think Mr Tebbit is a bit naive about human psychology. How many British living in Australia, South Africa and US for years does he know who do not support British cricket teams playing in those countries, I wonder. And will he put his hand on his heart and say Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Tamils, West Indians and Africans that he sees in the streets of Britain are all as British as the English?
May 23rd, 2008 at 1:26 pm
The hindu/indian cricket supporters have been dragged in unnecessarily here just to maintain equality however as the author says, it is important for Tebbitt and others to realise that British Born and raised INDIAN supporters have a very different mindset to RADICALISED ISLAMIC PAKISTAN SUPPORTERS.
The way the latter act at cricket matches etc. has long been a problem and a disgrace. Most of them are disaffected youths, usually unemployed and ripe for the preachings of hate. Tebbitt is right in saying that earlier action to identify them and actions taken then could well have prevented terorism.
May 29th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
As someone who is proud of his British identity and yet always supports the Indian cricket team, I nonetheless both felt at the time, and still maintain, that Lord Tebbit had this completely wrong. However, looking back on certain periods of my own life, I can understand how he came to hold this view. Whilst it is not necessarily directly comparable, it is interesting to note that Indian Muslims who support the Pakistani cricket team have long been held to be traitors to their country, with all that such designation implies. This is just one example; the Hindu nationalist movement, particularly in Britain, is awash with similar double standards.
May 31st, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Out of interest Satya, what constitutes your pride in being British?
Also, which Hindu nationalist movement do you refer to ?
I’d like to understand your angles better.
June 1st, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Satya you should consider the fact that Pakistan and India are long time rivals, Pakistan is a country created for the Indian Muslims by the Indian Muslims with British help, and has been sponsoring a proxy war through terrorism ever since against India, by contrast England and India even with the colonial baggage are not at loggerheads today. I don’t think the British would take it kindly if India sponsors terror in UK constantly and British Indians cheer for their rival.
But on the whole you have a point about the double standards except that there are outside forces influencing those standards, i don’t think there would be the same kind of emotion if indian muslims cheered for australia against india instead of pakistan.
June 7th, 2008 at 6:34 am
Harish your analysis is right. I find the Muslims in general are and will always be a problem wherever they live. Because Koran doesn’t allow dialogue, that means one either accepts it or rejects it. And whoever rejects or even asks questions becomes an enemy of Islam. Once I was shown a verse written in bold by a Muslim fellow student and was told one cannot write anything better. When I told him I can and said it and still kept my God given freedom to think, I became his enemy. These are the mindsets. Now have I got right to call him a dictator, fundamentalist, fanatic, bigoted, misguided, or just thick? One can see why Muslims have to have their ghettos and groups supporting Pakistan at Lords. Tebbit doesn’t see it.
June 12th, 2008 at 10:05 am
Did anyone see the reaction of the Indians in Durban when India beat S.A. there??
Tebbit unhappiness epitomised…
HAHAHA