Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada, United States of America, commending her visit to Roma people, urged Jolie to undertake the cause of apartheid of 15-million Roma people of Europe.

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, said that Jolie, world’s most powerful celebrity, would be very effective in focusing public opinion world over on Roma apartheid. Many Hollywood and other entertainment bigwigs had successfully worked against South Africa’s apartheid in the past.

Rajan Zed argued that Jolie had promoted humanitarian causes world over and Roma would be the next worthwhile cause for her to undertake. If she wanted his services in regard to Roma cause, he was willing to support her.

Alarming condition of Roma people was a social blight for Europe and the rest of the world as they reportedly regularly faced social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, language barriers, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalisation, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, racist slogans on Internet, etc, Zed pointed out.

It was like an undeclared apartheid and it was almost total societal exclusion of Roma. The maltreatment of Roma was outside even the European Union norms. Roma issue should be one of the highest priorities of human rights agenda of Europe and world, Rajan Zed stressed and added that he was hopeful that Jolie would not stay apathetic and silent spectator when fellow Roma brothers/sisters were reportedly facing blatant injustice and discrimination in Europe.