Hindus urge Nepal to award highest civilian honor to UK actress Joanna Lumley
May 23rd, 2009 - 6:23 pm ICT by Sampurn WireHindus have urged Nepal Government to award its highest civilian honor to BAFTA winner actress Joanna Lumley for leading Gurkhas to victory in a high profile campaign for residency rights in United Kingdom (UK).
Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous) 63, had been the public face of the campaign on behalf of the Gurkhas and lead a long tiring struggle to success.
Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that India should also be proud of her, because Lumley was born there in 1946, and give her one of the Padma awards for her human and animal rights campaigns. Lumley, whose father was an officer with the 6th Gurkha Rifles, is a vegetarian.
It was remarkable how she handled UK Immigration Minister Phil Woolas during Gurkha campaign, who later acknowledged that the actress had “given a focus” to the campaign, and that she had “campaigned tirelessly” for the Gurkhas.
UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. who was forced into the U-turn, reportedly said: “I’d like to congratulate Joanna Lumley on her wonderful campaigning. She has charmed not only the Cabinet but the whole of the country.”
Besides Gurkhas, Lumley has also taken up various other causes like exiled Tibetan people, animal welfare, literacy, etc. This ruling makes around 84,000 Gurkha veterans, their wives and children eligible to settle in UK. -Sampurn Media
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- Gurkha rights campaigner Lumley is The Times's Briton of the Year - Dec 28, 2009
- Indo - Americans Applauds India - Aug 25, 2010
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- Brit actress Lumley hailed as 'Nepali cheli' - Jul 28, 2009
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- Gurkha row: Brown, UK Defence Minister apologise to Lumley - Mar 30, 2010
- UK Minister Woolas reassures Gurkhas about residency rights - May 09, 2009
- UK actress Lumley begged for Gurkha settlement rights - May 30, 2009
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