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The British government has said it does not consider the right-wing Hindu groups VHP, RSS and Bajrang Dal as "terrorist" organisations, in remarks which may have political connotation.
"The UK Government does not consider the VHP to be a terrorist organisation under our law. The organisation is proscribed neither here nor in India, nor do the Indian government classify it as a terrorist organisation," Britain's Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice, Lord Bach said.
He was asked during a debate in the House of Lords on Monday whether the Government would consider referring the VHP, UK to the Charities Commission to examine its status.
"Obviously, decisions on proscription must be proportionate and based on evidence that a group is involved in terrorism as defined in the Terrorism Act 2000," Lord Bach said.
Earlier this month, Lord Malloch-Brown, the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, had said that the UK government did not consider Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bajrang Dal as terrorist groups.
"Neither the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh nor the Bajrang Dal are proscribed in the UK or subject to other restrictions or sanctions. Nor are they classified as terrorist organisations or banned by the Indian Government.
"Unless an organisation is proscribed in the UK under the Terrorism Act 2000, membership of an organisation does not in itself provide grounds for refusing entry to the UK. Where there is evidence that the presence in the UK of a particular individual would not be conducive to the public good, consideration will be given to denying entry," he had said.
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