Key Takeaways
- Bharat Hindu Samaj (BHS) is a 40‑year‑old Hindu temple in Peterborough, serving ~14,000 Hindus across three counties and is the only such facility within a 35‑mile radius.
- The temple was founded by families expelled from Uganda by Idi Amin in 1972 and has operated from the New England Complex since 1986.
- In 2025, Peterborough City Council, under Labour leader Shabina Qayyum, decided to sell the BHS site to help repay a £500 million debt, despite trustees believing they had a purchase agreement for £1.3 million.
- The council placed the property on the open market and selected Khadijah Mosque, part of the United Kingdom Islamic Mission (UKIM), as the buyer, prompting allegations of an unfair process and religious discrimination.
- BHS trustees secured a High Court injunction to halt the sale, raised over £86,000 via GoFundMe, and argue the council’s bidding process violated legal duties under the Equality Act.
- Khadijah Mosque claims it has outgrown its current site and wishes to build a “unity centre” with prayer spaces, classrooms, and sports facilities; it notes it already operates around 40 centres and 60 branches nationwide.
- Private WhatsApp messages among Hindus revealed perceptions of discrimination and frustration that the community has remained “too silent” compared with the likely reaction if a mosque faced similar treatment.
- Council leader Qayyum acknowledged the sale caused “great anxiety and upset” but asserted no Hindu would be left without a home, a claim disputed by trustees who say no viable alternative has been offered.
- At the July 11 High Court hearing, the council defended the sale as transparent, fair, and lawful, while BHS counsel highlighted significant flaws, the lack of alternative premises, and the mosque’s existing network.
- The outcome of the court case will determine whether BHS can retain its historic premises or must relocate, with the Hindu community awaiting a decision that could echo past experiences of displacement.
Background of Bharat Hindu Samaj
Bharat Hindu Samaj (BHS) is a Hindu temple that has stood in Peterborough for four decades. Established in 1986, the temple occupies the New England Complex and has become a spiritual and cultural hub for the local Hindu population. Its roots trace back to the early 1970s when families fleeing the regime of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin resettled in the United Kingdom, bringing with them traditions that BHS now preserves. Over the years, the temple has hosted regular prayers, festivals, educational classes, and community gatherings, making it an integral part of daily life for thousands of devotees.
Founding and Community Significance
The temple’s importance extends beyond worship; it serves as a meeting place where generations connect. Elderly members such as Damyanti Bathia, aged 74, describe the temple as a lifeline for prayer, social interaction, and cultural continuity. BHS claims to be the sole Hindu temple within a 35‑mile radius, catering to approximately 14,000 Hindus spread across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, and Lincolnshire. This unique position amplifies the impact of any threat to its premises, as alternatives are scarce and would require significant travel for many worshippers.
Council’s Decision to Sell
In early 2025, Peterborough City Council, led by Labour Party figure Shabina Qayyum, announced plans to sell the BHS site as part of a broader strategy to address a staggering £500 million debt burden. The council framed the sale as a necessary fiscal measure, arguing that disposing of underutilised assets would help stabilise its finances. The decision, however, took many temple stakeholders by surprise, particularly because trustees believed they had already reached a verbal agreement to purchase the property for £1.3 million.
Temple Trustees’ Offer and Council’s Process
According to temple trustees, the council informed them in March 2025 that they could buy the building and invited an offer of £1.3 million. The trustees submitted the bid promptly but received no response until September 2025, when they learned the property had entered a “best and final offer” stage. Feeling blindsided, the trustees proceeded to place a competing bid, only to discover that the council had already selected Khadijah Mosque as the buyer. This sequence led trustees to argue that the council’s process lacked transparency and violated any prior understanding.
Legal Challenge and Injunction
In response to the perceived injustice, BHS trustees sought legal redress and obtained a High Court injunction that temporarily barred the council from proceeding with the sale. The injunction gave the temple community time to mobilise financial support; a GoFundMe campaign quickly amassed over £86,000 (approximately ₹1.10 crore) to cover legal fees and demonstrate public backing. The temple’s legal team contends that the council failed to fulfill its statutory duties under the Equality Act, alleging that the sale process discriminated against a religious minority.
Khadijah Mosque’s Position
Khadijah Mosque, representing the United Kingdom Islamic Mission (UKIM), asserts that it has outgrown its existing facility after nearly four decades of use. The mosque group envisions constructing a “unity centre” that would incorporate prayer spaces, classrooms, and sports amenities, aiming to serve a broader interfaith and community audience. UKIM notes that it already maintains a network of roughly 40 centres and 60 branches throughout the UK, suggesting that the Peterborough site would be a strategic addition to its portfolio rather than a replacement for a struggling Hindu institution.
Community Tensions and Perceived Discrimination
Private WhatsApp exchanges among Hindu community members, reviewed by the Telegraph, reveal undercurrents of frustration and a sense of marginalisation. Participants accused the council of discrimination, lamenting that the Hindu community had remained “too silent” while similar actions against a mosque would likely provoke nationwide protest. One message read, “It makes our blood boil to know that there is clear discrimination against Hindus, but we as a community are too silent about it… people who speak up are silenced and forced to apologise.” These communications highlight a broader anxiety that the council’s decision may reflect systemic bias rather than purely fiscal necessity.
Council Leader’s Response
Shabina Qayyum acknowledged that the proposed sale had generated “great anxiety and upset” among Hindu devotees, emphasizing that the council did not intend to leave the community without a place of worship. She asserted that alternative arrangements would be explored to ensure continuity of religious services. However, temple trustees countered that no concrete, viable alternative had been presented, and the prospect of relocation evoked painful memories of their earlier expulsion from Uganda, reinforcing a feeling of being “expelled again.”
High Court Hearing Details
On July 11, the High Court heard arguments from both sides. Council barrister Catherine Rowlands maintained that the sale followed a transparent, fair, and lawful bidding process, citing years of engagement with the trustees as evidence of due diligence. In contrast, Toby Fisher, counsel for BHS, argued that the process contained “significant flaws,” notably the absence of any alternative premises for the temple and the fact that UKIM already possessed an extensive national network. Fisher urged the court to consider the Equality Act implications and the disproportionate impact on a minority religious group.
Current Situation and Outlook
As the High Court deliberates, the Hindu community in Peterborough remains in a state of apprehensive wait. The injunction prevents an immediate sale, but the ultimate ruling will decide whether BHS can retain its historic premises or must seek a new location—a prospect that would entail substantial logistical, financial, and emotional challenges. Regardless of the verdict, the case has sparked a broader conversation about religious equity, council accountability, and the resilience of minority communities facing displacement. The outcome will not only determine the fate of a single temple but may also set a precedent for how local authorities balance fiscal pressures with their obligations to protect cultural and religious heritage under UK law.