Basaveshwara Statue Unveiled 

Modi’s UK Visit : Great Nations, Glorious Future

Shri Narendra Modi addressed the Indian diaspora at Wembley Stadium in London in the presence of over 60,000 members of Bharateeya community which was hailed as the ‘centrepiece’ of his three-day UK visit.

On November 13, 2015, the Prime Minister of Bharat Shri Narendra Modi gave a historic speech to over 60,000 people in Wembley Stadium. The Indian diaspora came out in full force to welcome the Prime Minister making it the biggest audience a politician has ever received in the UK.
As Prime Minister Modi approached the stage, the whole stadium was electrified with the chanting of his name in anticipation for the inspirational and moving speech to come. Both English and Bharateeya national anthems were sung by school children followed by British Prime Minister David Cameron’s introductory speech, which recognised the huge contribution British Bharateeyas make to the UK, its economy and workforce. Prime Minister Cameron also went on to say that “it won’t be long before there’s a British Indian Prime Minister in Downing Street” and stated that “Team India, Team UK, together we are a winning combination.”
At the start of his speech, Prime Minister Modi acknowledged that it was a historic moment and paid gratitude to the warm welcome he received by the huge number of Bharateeyas that came out in full force to greet him. The Prime Minister was visiting the UK after 12 years and felt as if it was 12 years worth of blessings that were being showered upon him at Wembley Stadium.
The great Prime Minister of Bharat emphasised his commitment to ‘eradicating poverty’ and stated that Bharat will no longer be seen as a poor country. In the next 1000 days with the help of his Government, he committed to provide electricity to 18,000 villages. During his three-day visit to the UK, Prime Minister Modi also launched the IFC Rupee Bond in 10 billion Bharateeya Rupees ($163 million), which will enable investment into Bharat’s railway infrastructure.
Not only was the Prime Minister the first Bharateeya Prime Minister to speak out against gender violence in his Independence Day speech last year, he also reiterated this in Wembley stating the numerous policies he has put in place. His policy “BetiBachao, BetiPadhao” is a Government of Bharat scheme that aims to generate awareness and improve the efficiency of welfare services meant for women. The Prime Minister has given high priority to ‘improved sanitation facilities’ and since he has been elected, has ensured that every primary school has a separate toilet for girls. In Haryana, which has one of the worst male to female ratios, the panchayat of Bibipur village announced the selfie with daughter’s contest. Upon hearing about the contest, Prime Minister Modi promoted this innovative idea and the whole nation got involved in sharing proud pictures with their daughters.
The Prime Minister spoke about Bharat’s defence industry and in line with his “Make in India” initiative, stated that Bharat is working with the biggest experts in defence weaponry to gain the skill and know-how to be self reliant in arms manufacturing.  Prime Minister Cameron also mentioned how UK and Bharat have the shared threats of terrorism. He stated that as Bharat “suffered on the streets of Mumbai, we have suffered on the streets of London. The cause was the same, extremists who want to divide our country and together as we’ve showed today, we will defeat them.” Cameron also spoke out in full support of Bharat being a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Throughout his visit to the UK, Prime Minister Modi demonstrated his humility and humbleness. On the morning of the 12th November, as soon as the great leader saw his supporters eagerly waiting outside the Taj Hotel for him in St James Park, he walked straight towards them to greet them. After his historic and captivating speech at Wembley stadium, Prime Minister Modi walked around Wembley Stadium in its entirety to meet those who travelled far and wide to see him.
The three-day visit marked a new height in UK and Bharat relations with the Conservative government doing their utmost to give Bharat the prominence and respect it so rightly deserves. Dr Charles Tannock MEP, Foreign Affairs and Human Rights Spokesman for the UK Conservative delegation and founder of the European Parliament Friends of India stated that “it was deeply moving to watch two great Commonwealth countries’ Prime Ministers from UK and India come together and celebrate the magic of India and showcase the unique contribution the large British Indian diaspora community has made to the British economy and public life.  David Cameron has stated support for India rightly to be on the UN Security Council as a permanent member. It is also important for India and Britain we do no not put all our foreign trade eggs into the China basket and it’s no coincidence that the visit by Modi came shortly after the visit by President of China. Although the Chinese economy is much bigger than India's, as is the UK's trade links with China, it is important we recognise that UK and all the free world share common values of freedom and democracy with India, unlike China which remains a one party authoritarian regime. Lastly particularly on the same day as the terror attacks in neighbouring Paris, that we must remember India shares the same jihadist terrorist threat as occurred in Mumbai so we must concentrate on cooperating more with India in fighting international terrorists by sharing intelligence on terrorist groups operating on the sub Continent and being radicalised in madrassas in neighbouring countries and some of these terrorists returning to carry out atrocities in Europe. Stabilising security in Afghanistan and fighting the Taliban remain a joint area of concern. I believe the future for UK India relations is much improved by Prime Minister Modi's visit whose personality is very different and more charismatic than his predecessor and demonstrates his status as a rising leader in world politics.”
During the Bharateeya Prime Minister’s trip to the UK, he achieved more for UK-Indo relations in three days than any of his predecessors had managed to do in their whole terms in office. With only being in office for 18 months, Prime Minister Modi has united the Bharateeya population worldwide and has instilled pride and dignity in us. Prime Minister Modi’s speech touched the hearts and souls of the Indian diaspora as he stated, “no matter what the colours of our passports may be, our relationship is tied by our blood. Our passports don’t define us, as we are all one.” For the first time, India has a Prime Minister who cares about the Indian diaspora and is keen to work hard for their interests. As he rightly said, the world now has more respect for India and the Prime Minister has unleashed the country’s capabilities and potential to become a world superpower. It is no wonder why Forbes has ranked Prime Minister Modi as being the 9th most powerful person in the world.
Prerna Lau Sian (The writer is a Barrister, writer and broadcaster on Nusound Radio 92FM. She is also media representative in the organising committee ‘UK Welcomes Modi’)

The Hon Prime Minister paid his special tribute to Basveshwara and said he stood for civil liberties before Magna carta was signed.

The statue of the 12th century Bharateeya Philosopher ‘Basaveshwara’, who first pioneered the idea of democracy, was unveiled by the Prime Minister of Bharat, Shri Narendra Modi on November 14, 2015 on the Bank of River Thames, in the London Borough of Lambeth. The former Mayor of London Borough of Lambeth, Dr Neeraj Patil, had met the PM Modi on March 24, 2015 and extended the invitation on behalf of the British Bharateeya community to unveil the statue during his next visit to London. The Prime Ministers’ Office has accepted his invitation and unveiled the 3 feet black bronze bust statue of Basaveshwara overlooking the Thames River.
Shri Modi expressed his special tribute to the 12th century philosopher and said Basveshwara stood for civil liberties before Magna carta was signed. He also said Basaveshwara preached the idea of democracy 700 years before Abraham Lincoln. The planning application for the statue was approved by the Planning Department of Lambeth council at a public hearing on the March 13, 2012.
As per the Statue’s Act of 1854 of United Kingdom, an approval from the Cabinet Minister for Culture is mandatory. Considering the conceptual relationship between the United Kingdom and Basaveshwara, the British Cabinet Minister for Culture, Jon Penrose, approved the planning application to install the statue of Basaveshwara along the Bank of River Thames on July 3, 2012. Also present at this occasion was, The Speaker of British Parliament, Hon John Bercow, Rt Hon Keith Vaz MP for Leicester, Hon MP for Waltham Forest Preeti Patel, Hon MP for North Croydon Steve Reed and Lord Jeffery Archer were also present.       

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