Hindus have urged for immediate restoration of water supply for Roma (Gypsy) residents of Ozd in northern Hungary, which was reportedly cut-off or reduced by the town council.
Reports suggest that several thousand Roma were affected by it.
Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that water was a basic human need and cutting-off the water supply of already marginalized community of Roma was a cruel act.
Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged Hungarian President Janos Ader and Prime minister Viktor Orban to immediately intervene and put an end to the victimization of their Roma citizens. Hungarian government appeared to be failing to protect its Roma population.
Already marginalized, deprived, and discriminated against Roma should not be blamed for all the misfortune of Hungary, Rajan Zed noted and added that Hungary and European Union should make sure that racism and hatred did not grow in Hungary.
Zed further said that in Hungary, despite various government initiatives, Roma reportedly continued to face blatant discrimination, shanty town living, an atmosphere of hostility, huge unemployment rate, lower life expectancy, prejudice, significantly higher school dropout rate, racism, bias and stereotyping, school segregation, social exclusion, mistrust, human rights violations, etc. According to an estimate, less than 1% of Roma obtained higher education degrees.
Rajan Zed pointed out that instead of reportedly continuing to marginalize Roma socially, this country of Lake Balaton, romantic Danube River, Franz Liszt and Bela Bartok should be more embracing of Roma brothers and sisters who had been reportedly living with them since 14th century. Zed urged all religious leaders, religions and denominations of Hungary to work for the upliftment of Roma, because religion told us to help the helpless.
Zed stressed that it was moral obligation of Europe to take care of its largest minority Roma population and stop human rights violations suffered by them, who numbered around 15-million and lived in apartheid like conditions. There seemed to be no coherent and effective policy to assimilate them into the society. Their alarming condition was a social blight for Europe and the rest of the world.
Roma in Hungary form about ten percent of total Hungary populace, which makes it largest Roma minority as percentage of total population in the world. Current demographic trends indicate that in 2050, about 21 percentage of Hungary population will be Roma.
Furjes Pal is the Mayor of Ozd, which found first mention in 1272.