Tommy Robinson, the far-right agitator born Steven Yaxley-Lennon, made headlines for his anti-immigrant stand and Islamophobic campaigning. His “Unite the Kingdom” march in London, United Kingdom, which reportedly drew more than 100,000 supporters, was the latest example of his ability to mobilise large crowds under slogans of “border control” and “protecting British culture.” The demands at these rallies remain consistent – halt migrant crossings, deport undocumented immigrants, and prioritise native Britons over newcomers.
Robinson frames his activism as a defence of free speech and national identity. Yet, embedded within this message is a deeper hostility towards Muslims, whom he repeatedly depicts as aggressors and criminals. This has made his open praise of Hindus in Britain particularly striking.
What are Robinson’s views about Indians?
Unlike his attacks on Muslims, Robinson has generally spoken warmly of Indians, particularly Hindus, calling them a “peaceful, peace-loving migrant community.” He has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s election as a “populist revolution” and aligned himself with Hindutva ideologues who promote Hindu nationalist politics.
In a 2022 interview with Op-India’s editor-in-chief, Nupur J Sharma, Robinson pledged to defend British Hindus during ethnic tensions, even offering to rally “hundreds of men” in their support. His message to Hindus that the media has slandered them while siding with “radical Islamists”, mirrors narratives used by Hindu nationalist leaders in India.
The ideology Robinson praises is rooted in Hindutva, first articulated a century ago by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
Europe and Hindu unity
Robinson’s overtures to Hindus are not incidental. They reveal the growing convergence between far-right groups in Europe and Hindu nationalist networks abroad. According, to him both share common enemies – Muslims, migrants and liberal values of secularism and pluralism. In Leicester, where violence broke out in 2022 between Hindu nationalist activists and Muslims, Robinson publicly promised solidarity, echoing Hindutva talking points about victimhood and displacement.
This collaboration is fertile ground for cross-border alliances. White supremacist organisations in Britain, such as Patriotic Alternative, and Hindutva groups share hostility to Muslims and queer communities alike. The framing of critiques as “Hinduphobia” further entrenches these narratives, repackaging supremacist politics as the defence of a besieged community.
Such alliances also sit against a backdrop of strategic state relations. Britain’s economic ties with India, reinforced under fomer Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, have often outweighed concerns about human rights abuses. Experts point to cases such as the detention of British Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal in India, where British intelligence allegedly played a role. These geopolitical realities make Hindutva’s influence abroad harder to disentangle from domestic politics in the UK.
Tommy Robinson’s praise for Indians in UK is not simply a gesture of goodwill. It is a tactical move, embedding Hindutva within the broader ecosystem of European far-right politics. His words that Hindus must “reach out to other communities” and “form alliances”, signal an emerging cross-continental bloc of ethno-supremacists united by Islamophobia.