Sikhs confused for Muslims and wrongful arrests due to failures to understand religion, landmark review finds

Government’s faith adviser calls for civil servants to undergo ‘religious literacy’ training

Worshippers take part in the 40th Rathayatra festival in central London where three 40-foot high brightly coloured wooden chariots are pulled by hand from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square (PA)

Hindus were served Halal meals, Sikhs confused for Muslims, and Christians were wrongfully arrested because public sector workers don’t understand religious beliefs, a landmark review has found.

The 165-page report by the government’s faith adviser Colin Bloom is the most sweeping review of the government’s relationship with religion in a generation. The study, published on Wednesday after years of delays, found that civil servants lacked an understanding of religion and recommended that all public sector workers be given training.

Examples of religious ignorance noted in the report included police officers who confused Sikhs with Muslims or had raised concerns over the kirpan, a ceremonial sword Sikhs are obliged to carry as part of their religious observance.