HINDUS HAVE applauded Hungarian Government for funding “Csak a szél (Just The Wind)”, a film about Roma (Gypsy) killings, which is premiering and competing at “62nd Berlin International Film Festival”, starting February nine.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that it was a “step in the right direction” for Hungary Government to fund projects which highlight its dark side of continuous Roma maltreatment.

A Hungarian-German-French venture by Bence Fliegauf (Dealer), “Just The Wind” stars amateur Roma actors (Lajos Sárkány, Katalin Toldi, Gyöngyi Lendvai, György Toldi) and cost around $675,000. It is claimed that this film will be shown in about 40 countries after this world premiere at Berlin. Fliegauf will be competing for this year's Berlinale Bears at the Festival.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, has urged Hungary to do more for her Roma brothers/sisters, who continue to be marginalized, deprived, and discriminated against.

Zed pointed out that in Hungary, despite various government initiatives, Roma reportedly continued to face blatant discrimination, shanty town living, an atmosphere of hostility, huge unemployment rate, lower life expectancy, prejudice, significantly higher school dropout rate, racism, media bias and stereotyping, school segregation, social exclusion, mistrust, human rights violations, etc. According to an estimate, less than 1% of Roma obtained higher education degrees.

Zed argued that instead of reportedly continuing to marginalize Roma socially, this country of Lake Balaton, romantic Danube River, Franz Liszt and Bela Bartok, should be more embracing of Roma brothers and sisters who had been reportedly living with them since 14th century. Hungarian government should be more proactive in protecting Roma and other minorities. Zed urged all religious leaders, religions and denominations of Hungary to work for the upliftment of Roma, because religion told us to help the helpless.

Roma in Hungary, whose estimated numbers sometimes reach around one million, form about ten percent of total Hungary populace, which makes it largest Roma minority as percentage of total population in the world. Current demographic trends indicate that in 2050, about 21 percentage of Hungary population will be Roma. Pal Schmitt and Viktor Orban are President and Prime Minister respectively of Hungary.

Zed stressed that it was moral obligation of Europe to take care of its largest minority Roma population and stop human rights violations suffered by them, who numbered around 15-million and were the most disadvantaged. There seemed to be no coherent and effective policy to assimilate them into the society. Their alarming condition was a social blight for Europe and the rest of the world, Zed added.