LONDON, ENGLAND, March 5, 2003: One of the first initiatives of Mayor Ken Livingston was the removal of pigeons from Trafalgar Square. The Mayor removed the pigeons, amid protests, because he said over 200 tons of their droppings had to be cleaned up every year. Now the pigeons, and their related problems, have moved to Leicester, and the blame is being put on Hindus, mainly Gujaratis. Cossington Park, a favorite place for walks, is now also a favorite place for pigeons. Some are saying that members of the Hindu community regularly feed the pigeons there, as it is supposed to be a sacred act. But the Hindu families deny the charge saying they themselves are fed up with the conditions at the park and are unable to take their children for a walk. “It is nowhere prescribed in our religion to feed pigeons. The fact is, that a lot of the elderly, even in the white community, throw feed for birds. I have seen it in certain good localities in London as well,” said a local Hindu journalist.
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