British-Indians were offended by the sweeping phrase "Asian grooming gangs" used by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the media’s continuing debate on sexual grooming despite their non-involvement. They were furious at this offensive mislabelling.

On Monday, Starmer made use of a term called "Asian grooming gangs" to defend amid criticism from Elon Musk, despite knowing that the criminals are mostly of Pakistani heritage.

"We are dismayed that the PM chose to whitewash this heinous atrocity with the word 'Asian'," said Krishna Bhan, chair of the Hindu Council UK. "Our Hindu and Sikh girls were also their victims."

The controversy raised additional debates concerning the UK's usage of the term "Asian" as a blanket term for individuals of many racial groups, notably those from South Asia. Many allege that the sweeping phrase distorts cultural and communal diversity, resulting in unequal discrimination in some communities.

“Asian means Vietnamese, Sri Lankan, Japanese, Indian, etc. Why should we be classified as part of these gangs,” questioned Jay Shah, spokesperson for Friends of India Society International UK. He also stated, “They should specify who they are. It’s an insult to every Asian otherwise. When it comes to grooming gangs, we are Asian; when they talk about Kashmir, we are suddenly Indian. Politicians seem to be protecting the perpetrators rather than the victims. If a British person commits a crime in Asia, it isn’t reported as European.” 

British-Indians, well-known in the UK for their contributions to education, business and healthcare, believe such mislabelling negatively impacts their reputation. Activists and MPs advocate for more precise language in public discourse to avoid racial profiling and collective responsibility.

"The PM's use of a vague reference to Asian grooming gangs is extremely disappointing," the Network of Sikh Organisations remarked. Sikh Youth UK has spent the last 15 years assisting Sikh victims of grooming gangs, writing papers on the subject for the government, and even apprehending perpetrators outside Sikh schools.

Sarah Champion, the Labour MP for Rotherham, had to leave her position as shadow equalities minister in 2017 after saying, "Britain has a problem with British Pakistani men raping and exploiting white girls". The Hindu Council UK and INSIGHT UK endorse the Conservative Party's proposal for a public national investigation.

This situation has brought to the fore the importance of sensitive reporting and vocabulary that represent the variety of the South Asian community. Many members of the community have encouraged authorities and media outlets to rethink the usage of the label "Asian" in sensitive circumstances.