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For a party obsessed with the colour white, the bid to gain a brown constituency is causing many a raised eyebrow in Britain. The far right British National Party (BNP), an avowed anti-immigrant protagonist, is now reaching out to the Asian communities in a clear bid to increase its vote bank in Burnsley, Oldham and other constituencies. The newfound affection for the Hindu and Sikh minorities has been founded on hostility targeted at extremist Muslims.

To come across as an inclusive party, the BNP has even launched an ethnic liaision committee (ELC). The committee immediately got down to work and last week launched a joint audio recording between BNP Chairman Nick Griffin, "a long-time Sikh activist", and a Hindu, which was then sent to various Asian organisations. The recording is aimed at exposing the "green menace" of Muslim extremism.

IMAGES OF UNREST: A shattered pane symbolises the effect of the summer riots on British society; Police lead away an Asian youth in the Oldham rioting

"Many Hindus and Sikhs had to shift residences because their shops were attacked in the Bradford riots," says BNP supporter, Amarjeet Singh.

According to a party release, "From next week onwards, the BNP branches all over the country will be distributing a large number of copies of taped or CD versions of this remarkable document to ordinary, concerned British citizens in their own areas."

Acknowledging that a white-only Britain was no longer possible, Griffin said he wanted to make "the best of a bad job" by forging links with the Sikh community and helping to ease tensions between different Asian groups. In fact he held discussions with Sikhs from West London about the "problems that our people and their people have had with Muslim extremists", he later told India Today.

"I've had quite a lot of conversations and discussions with a member of the Sikh community in Southall. Although we may disagree on some things, we found a great deal in common and have been able to exchange information about the common problems," he said.

By addressing the issue on BBC's Newsnight, Griffin has young, impressionable Sikhs and Hindus just where he wants them. Explains 30-year-old Amarjeet Singh from West London on his decision to support the far-right body: "We British-born Asians are tired of being associated with Pakistani Muslims who are creating trouble in Bradford and other places. When a church is attacked or a vicar is beaten, the media blames it on the Asian youth. However, it is not the Asian youth but Pakistani Muslims who are organising these riots.
The elders in our communities do not respond or try to absolve the Hindu and Sikh youth
but Griffin addressed this issue on Newsnight and we are happy about that."

What is hard to forget is the fact that in May last, a few weeks before the general election, Griffin passionately rued over the decline of Britain-the greatest nation on the face of the earth-because of the dual demons immigration and multi-culturalism. Before a group of 70 American supporters in a restaurant in Arlington, Virginia, and against the backdrop of the Union Jack and a BNP flag, the Cambridge-educated Griffin reportedly led the audience in rousing renditions of Jerusalem, God Save The Queen and The Star-Spangled Banner, and subsequently delivered the hour-long harangue.

Griffin, who has tried hard to make himself the acceptable face of British racism, enthralled his American audience with his visions of the day when the BNP would assume power. What would follow, insisted the 41-year-old Griffin, would "not only be a British revolution, but a revolution for export to all white nations, including America". He received a standing ovation from the assembled American racists.

Though the BNP, which has among its rank and file people convicted for hooliganism and thuggery, has never believed in a multicultural Britain, many like Singh are convinced the party "has realised that multiculturism is here to stay". For a party that has waged a relentless campaign of hatred against Indians, Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims, it is a remarkable achievement to have the Asian migrants join hands with it. However, no figures are yet forthcoming as to the number of such people who are supporting the party.

In contrast to the Sikhs who are enamoured with Griffin, the Hindu Society in the UK has shown disapproval of the alliance with the BNP. J. Watts of the Hindu Society says that the BNP is trying to play different ethnic minority groups against each other. Terming Griffin's latest move as a "cheap act", Watts says, "They are pretending to be the well-wishers of the Hindus and Sikhs by branding the Muslim extremists a common enemy. Young British Asians should not fall into this trap. How can they suddenly have become pro-Asian? We know they are using Hindus and Sikhs against Muslims."

However, Singh is adamant that this is the best way to protect the Hindus and Sikhs who he claims are more harassed in Bradford than their white counterparts. "Many Hindus and Sikhs had to shift residences because their shops were attacked and they were abused," he says. He also claims that Pakistani youth are encouraged to befriend young Hindu and Sikh girls in order to convert them. "I have seen leaflets circulated to this effect. Our community has been facing this problems for years but nobody has tackled it," he adds.

Though Hindus and Sikhs are indeed harassed by Pakistani youth in Bradford and there were many incidents of the Diwali lighting being pulled down or destroyed last year, joining hands with the far-right, neo-Nazi BNP is definitely not a solution to the problem, observes Watts.

Hasmukh Shah agrees. Though this World Hindu Organisation member has often complained about the harassment suffered at the hands of Pakistani youth, he has reportedly disagreed to join hands with the BNP.

Others have gone a step further, with the Liberal Democrat Party president Lord Dholakia saying the BNP's latest move should be publicly condemned. "I want to remind those who are supporting the BNP that a leopard never changes its spots. Their divide-and-rule policy is vile and they should not be supported under any circumstance." He has also said that the matter is nothing short of inciting racial hatred and that the British Government should look into it.

Though the Commission for Racial Equality spokesperson admits there were accusations about the distribution of leaflets inciting racial hatred, it adds that there was a complete lack of evidence. Nevertheless, it has asked the Racial Equality Council to probe some West London residents. The inquiry teams, meanwhile, are ready to report on the summer riots in Bradford, with the independent review set up in the wake of the unrest expected to make 60 recommendations.

Griffin's latest campaign has been torn apart in BBC's Panorama wherein he has been accused of lying, cheating and using the unrest in Oldham and Burnsley to his advantage. Whether the Asians heed the documentary and refuse to support the BNP is quite another matter.