I never thought I would say this but for once I am actually thankful for the existence of Big Brother complete with all its desperate attention-seeking “celebrities” and its ability to distract Britain away from real and current issues which affect us all. I say this for two reasons; firstly, the treatment of Shilpa Shetty has exposed the very racial, cultural and class prejudices which exist at all levels within British society and which constitute everyday life for many non-whites living in Britain; prejudices which their grandparents faced and which should really have disappeared by now. Secondly, the unprecedented level of protests against Ms Shetty’s treatment and the widespread support for her at every tier suggest that British society is not only abhorred but genuinely shocked by this mirror image of itself.  This in itself may lead to some soul-searching within ‘white’ Britain as to how they view fellow citizens who happen to be of a different skin colour and cultural background.

Unfortunately, this current debate has also indirectly exposed how deep-rooted Islamophobia is within British society that when it is clearly on display in the mass media, nobody even bats an eyelid. Furthermore, when Muslims and people of conscience recognise this societal illness, they too are publicly denigrated and accused of appeasing or collaborating with terrorists. This week, Channel 4 broadcast a very controversial documentary, Dispatches: Undercover Mosque, which appeared to have a clear agenda to demonise Muslims and incite fear of and hatred against them. Preachers’ statements were taken completely out of context; no right of response was given; that a mainstream figure like Lord Nazir Ahmad was even castigated as having extremist tendencies indicated the immense bias which ran throughout the documentary.

Moreover, by singling out Muslims for demonisation for holding beliefs shared by many other religious communities, the programme’s inherent Islamophobia was all too clear to see. Certain Muslim beliefs which were negatively portrayed as the doctrine of extremists are actually shared by Judaism and Christianity. For example, homosexual behaviour is prohibited in Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Unlike Muslims, Jewish people in Britain can govern their civil disputes according to their own religious law and anyone visiting Stamford Hill in North London would indeed find himself in what essentially is a “state within a state”. All three religions discuss at length the concept of jihad or ‘just war’ or Milhemet Mitzvah (obligatory war); and just like Islam, Christianity and Judaism also divides mankind into Believers and Disbelievers, labelling the latter respectively as kaffir, gentile or infidel (for example ‘But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel’; 1 Timothy 5:8). Yet, on all these issues, Muslims alone are victimised for holding these beliefs which allegedly makes them some sort of Fifth Column in our midst. Even Channel 4’s own advertising of the programme on its website used the phrase “the enemy within”.

Even more deplorable has been the reporting of the trial of the six suspects accused of plotting a series of bomb attacks in London on 21 July 2005. Apart from the obvious erasure of their presumption of innocence, the reporting of the “evidence” that has been uncovered this week smacks of Islamophobia. Photographs and descriptions of the men camping in the Lake District and specifically of them praying were plastered across the newspapers as if the men were caught with their hands dripping in blood. The photographer, Constable Marshall’s statement that: “At one point they appeared to form a semi-circle around one of the vehicles and appeared to be engaged in prayer.” was reported and unchallenged in the press as if the men were engaged in active terrorist training rather than a spiritual retreat. Muktar Said Ibrahim’s frustration at being religiously profiled at an airport and asked probing questions about his Islamic beliefs leading to him missing his flight was reason enough to raise further suspicion of him in the mind of one Special Branch officer. Old chemistry notes belonging to another suspect from his days at college were treated like a copy of the Anarchist Cookbook. That he wrote the words “In the Name of Allah” on the top of the page (something repeated by numerous Muslim students around the world as a way of bringing God’s blessing to one’s work) was treated like a confession.

So where is the public outrage? Where are the Early Day Motions condemning the clear anti-Muslim hatred shown in the mass media? Why won’t the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the Chief Whip make any statements of concern regarding this never-ending assault on Muslims? Where are the 30,000 complaints to Ofcom? Will Muslims who protest against Islamophobia be treated with such indifference as those demonstrators in India who burned effigies in anti-Big Brother protests? Or will they be seen as extremists opposed to free speech and our way of life?

Britain’s prejudices are all too clear to see – whereas it is just beginning to grasp (with great disgust) its treatment of those of another skin colour like Shilpa Shetty, Muslims and Islam have become so repulsive to the British psyche that they are still fair game right now. To even suggest that Islamophobia exists in Britain today is considered tantamount to sympathising with terrorism. Shilpa’s treatment, as vile and disgusting as it is, is merely reflective of the deeper racial and religious prejudices within British society. The only difference is, Shilpa’s not a Muslim – her grievances will be taken seriously.