The British government on Friday apologized to Hindus in the United Kingdom after they were served meat and wine during the annual Diwali celebration at Downing Street, the prime minister's residence.
This Hindu festival, which Downing Street has been celebrating since 2009, celebrates the triumph of light over darkness and lasts for five days in autumn.
The Labor government admitted that a "mistake" was made in organizing the party, which took place at the end of October.
In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Conservative MP Shivani Raja said she was "deeply concerned" about the service of meat and alcohol during the celebration.
According to Shivani Raja, this action reveals "a disappointing lack of understanding of the customs and traditions that many British citizens hold dear."
Although Hinduism does not strictly prohibit the consumption of alcohol and meat, many Hindus are vegetarians and do not drink alcoholic beverages.
"We understand the sensitivity of this issue and would like to apologize to the [Hindu] community and ensure this does not happen again," a Downing Street spokesperson said.
The celebration acquired a special character with conservative Rishi Sunak, the first Hindu to head the British Government, between October 2022 and July, having been filmed with his family lighting candles on the steps of Downing Street, during the festival.
Around a million people in England and Wales identified as Hindu in 2021, according to the population census.
