In a shocking development, two well known British Indian personalities Lord Rami Ranger and Anil Bhanot, were stripped of their prestigious honours. Lord Rami Ranger, a renowned British-Indian businessman, lost his CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire), while Anil Bhanot, a Leicester-based accountant and trustee of the Hindu Council UK, was stripped of his OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire). The decision was announced in the London Gazette, following the finalising of the decision from the Honours Forfeiture Committee and approved by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III.
Anil Bhanot was stripped of his OBE following the accusations of Islamophobia he faced due to his social media comments following genocide of Bangladeshi Hindus in Bangladesh in 2021. He had criticized the lack of global attention on the destruction of temples and attacks on Hindus and referred to Islam as a “religion of violence” in a heated moment. The UK-based Islamic website 5 Pillars filed complaints against Anil Bhanot, accusing him of Islamophobia. Despite clarifying that he acted out of empathy for victims, Bhanot lost his OBE.
Anil Bhanot expressed disappointment, calling the decision a blow to free speech. He highlighted that similar accusations were dismissed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Charity Commission. “I was calling for dialogue and legislative measures, not hate,” he said. He argued that the forfeiture undermines the ability to speak out against injustice.
On the other hand, Lord Ranger’s CBE was revoked following allegations of supporting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the context of a controversial BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots, which was banned in India. Ranger was also accused of making disparaging remarks against Pakistanis and Sikhs. The US-based Khalistani organization ‘Sikhs for Justice’ and journalist Poonam Joshi were among those who filed complaints. Rami Ranger has announced that he will go for judicial review against the decision of him being revoked of CBE. Upon the taking back of CBE, he said “I don’t care about the CBE, but I feel freedom of speech has been undermined.”
The dramatic stripping of prestigious honours from two renowned personalities simply for their personal point of view raises concerns upon free speech and the unbiasedness of the British honours system. The incident also highlights how the concept of ‘Islamophobia’ is used as a tool to curtail political opponents.