Look, now they define who is a Hindu!

From today's Statesman..

London school defines a Hindu

Indo-Asian News Service
LONDON, Nov. 20: Britain's first state-funded Hindu school has come up with a unique definition of “practising Hindus” as part of its admissions policy ~ those who pray daily, do voluntary work at temples, follow a vegetarian diet and don't get intoxicated.
The school, named Krishna-Avanti Primary School, is located in the London borough of Harrow, which has the highest concentration of Hindus in any council in Britain: 40,000. The school is promoted by a charity organisation called the I-Foundation.
The admission process has started for the intake of the first batch of students in September 2008. Places are limited to 30 and are expected to be heavily over-subscribed. The official faith advisor to the school is Iskcon UK, which will advise on aspects of how the Hindu faith can be integrated and taught within the school. According to the admissions policy, among the criteria to be used while considering applications are: “Looked after children from Hindu families, 10 nominations by Bhaktivedanta Manor of practising Hindu families, children from practising Hindu families, children from Hindu families who are broadly following the tenets of Hinduism."
According to the policy, "broadly following" the tenets of Hinduism is defined as: at least monthly visits to the temple, attendance of key festival programmes (Diwali, Janmashtami and Ramnavami) at a local temple, following a vegetarian diet and avoidance of intoxication.
Asked if children of Hindu families who preferred non-vegetarian food or may not be ritualistic Hindus or who followed traditions within Hinduism that went against the school’s definition of practising Hindus would be ineligible for admission, a spokesman of the I-Foundation told IANS: "The rules do not exclude anyone who does not qualify under the criteria. The policy is not meant to exclude people... Under the rules of funding of faith schools, the school is obliged to have a set of criteria for admission that is relevant to the faith.”

I don't think that Hinduism is a doctrine driven faith which needs to be regulated like many others are. As a Hindu who does not mind the occasional tipple, I object most strongly to a bunch of Iskon people to tell me whether I am a 'suitable' Hindu or not. This is straight an easy route to giving imperfect people, untrained in logic, dialectic and philosophy the power to pass judgment over their peers. Hindu priests have long been a revered group, who guide in matters of the spirit (pun totally unintentionally). This will make them no different from their Christian and Muslim brethren. That is regrettable.