Hindus targeted in poverty fight

A giant white band is being tied around a Hindu temple in west London to highlight a new Make Poverty History wrist band.

A 12-metre rakhi band is being wrapped around the Vishwa Hindu Kendra Temple, in Southall, on Saturday, in the build-up to Rakhi Day on Friday.

The aim of the initiative is to get more Asian Hindus behind the fight against poverty.

Organised by Oxfam, the project is supported by many Asian celebrities.

Talvin Singh, Nitin Sawhney, Raghav and Veronica have given their backing to the project.

The words "Brothers and Sisters unite" are written on the band, or rakhi, in Hindu.

Rakhi Day is a festival celebrating unity in which women and girls tie colourful bracelets around the wrists of their brothers, male cousins and close male friends.

Nivi Narang, Oxfam's youth co-ordinator said: "The Rakhi festival is about love between sisters and brothers and Make Poverty History is about solidarity, rich and poor people around the world fighting against poverty."