Hindus have applauded European Commission (EC) for reportedly warning France with action over Roma (Gypsy) deportations if it failed to adopt European Union rules of free movement by October 15.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that politicians of Europe lacked the will and determination to solve the age old problem of Roma apartheid. EC should have also included blatant discrimination against ethnic minority Roma as one of the charges against France.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, argued that France had been openly defying the European directive of free movement and it was unfortunate that the European authorities kept silent for such a long time apparently because the affected were poor helpless Roma. It was clearly deliberate and mass targeting of an ethnic minority.

Rajan Zed further said that similar infringement procedures against some other European countries were also urgently needed as they also seemed to be ignoring the European directive of free movement and expelling Roma and dismantling their settlements.

Zed pointed out that it appeared that European freedoms and rights were practically meant for “non-Roma” Europeans only, which was sad. Whenever they see Roma, they seemed to be highlighting “public safety and public order” and ignoring the free movement directives. Roma had been forced into a permanent underclass of Europe.

Almost no country in Europe could claim to be free from Roma apartheid.

Launched with much fanfare in 2005, “Decade of Roma Inclusion” program appeared to have failed to make any solid dent in Roma apartheid. Instead of improvements, their condition was reportedly worsening, Rajan Zed indicated.

Europe’s politicians should forget the “power greed” and act bravely to end the Roma apartheid. Watching Roma suffer day after day was simply immoral and ungodly, Zed stressed.

Europe’s most persecuted and prejudiced community, Roma reportedly regularly encountered social exclusion, racism, substandard education, unfriendly attitudes, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, human rights abuse, etc., Rajan Zed stated.