Planned monument to Muslim British soldiers ignites wider political debate
The Muslim section of an international cemetery in Ablain-Saint-Nazaire, France, for soldiers who died during World War I. (Screenshot from TRT World)
A new monument will recognize the hundreds of thousands of Muslims who fought for Britain under the Commonwealth banner.
The British government announced that $1.2 million (1 million GBP) would be allocated to erecting the monument.
“Whatever your faith or color or class, this country will never forget the sacrifices made for our future,” said Jeremy Hunt, a politician serving as chancellor of the Exchequer, a senior minister representing the crown within the British government.
The recent announcement is part of a growing effort to share a more inclusive view of the Commonwealth. In recent years, there have seen a number of monuments meant to provide a more inclusive view of British history. This year, the Commonwealth of Nations may elect the first-ever Muslim in the history of that organization.
The announcement has sparked a social media uproar from critics on both the left and right who saw the move as a sop from the ruling Conservative Party to court Muslim voters ahead of a general election expected later this year.
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