More Hindu voices have been added to the campaign against a ban on the swastika symbol in Europe after Prince Harry recently displayed it during a fancy dress party.

Upset leaders of Britain's Hindu community announced a campaign Thursday to "redeem" the swastika symbol from its Nazi association and reclaim it as Hinduism's ancient symbol of life and fortune.

Due to the wrong use of the 5,000-year-old symbol by the Nazis, it became associated with anti-Semitism, hate, violence, death and murder.

Ramesh Kallidai of the Hindu Forum is planning pro-swastika awareness workshops for every region of Britain with a large seminar to be held in London. Every MP will be lobbied by e-mail and an information booklet will be distributed to faith communities and others.

Kallidai told the media: "A symbol we have used for more than 5,000 years is now on the verge of being banned because of association with the Nazis over which we had no control.

"Hindus wish to continue to use this symbol as part of their religion, but they risk being labelled Nazis or, in the case of a ban, risk breaking the law. We need to educate people about the historical context of the symbol, its wrong use by the Nazis and its importance to Hindus."

He said it was ironic that a symbol depicting the wheel of life and good fortune had become a symbol of racism, torture and war.

Members of the European Parliament have called for a Europe-wide ban on the symbol after Harry wore a swastika armband to a fancy dress party.

Franco Frattini, the European Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security, has said that he is willing to consider the possibility of a ban. Nazi symbols including the swastika are banned in Germany.

Nitin Mehtma, founder of Young Indian Vegetarians, said: "Hindus were known as Aryans and the swastika was a symbol which identified them as peace-loving, cultured, tolerant people. It would be nice if this aspect of the swastika can be highlighted."

Jyotsna Thanki, president of the Hindu Council of Birmingham, said: "The important thing to understand is that when a Hindu uses the swastika symbol, it is not a representation of Nazi fascism but of Hindu devotion. It is not in any way a statement of support for the xenophobic and criminal activities of the
Holocaust."

Bhupendra Patel, a magistrate and the secretary of the Shree Sattavis Gam Patidar Samaj, a Hindu organisation, said: "Like many Christians wear crosses, many Hindus wear swastikas. Does this mean they will be ostracised as Nazis?"

The swastika has been used for centuries by Hindus, Buddhists and many other traditions to denote good luck. The Times said in a report that "one of the oldest known swastikas was painted on a Palaeolithic cave 10,000 years ago and swastikas have been found on pottery and coins from ancient India, China and Greece."

Hindus use the right-facing version of the swastika, meaning sun, as jewellery or on doorways and buildings to bring good fortune. This was the version adopted by the Nazi Party in 1920 at Salzburg, said The Times report.

It is thought that Allied wartime propaganda was responsible for the false belief that at Hitler's insistence the swastika was later reversed to the left-facing version, meaning "death" in Hindu mythology.