PM Modi’s image in Labour Party leaflet in UK triggers row, and sharp criticism

Prime Minister Narendra Modi or his photograph could be a factor in elections in the United Kingdom. It is an important episode in the tale.

The leaflet, which is being distributed for the West Yorkshire by-election in Batley and Spen on Thursday, depicts Modi shaking hands with Conservative Party Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the G7 Summit in 2019, with the phrase “Don’t risk a Tory MP who isn’t on your side.”

It triggered furious reactions across social media.

Indian-origin Labour MP, Navendu Mishra, took to Twitter and remarked it is “saddening” that “racism is alive and well within Labour”.

“A hierarchy of racism exists inside the party and, some groups are seen as fair game for attacks based on religion/race/heritage,” said Mishra. The lawmaker for Stockport in northern England further said, “Labour will not win by playing divide and rule politics against our communities. We will win based on a principled stance against racism and discrimination of all kinds inside and outside the party”.

Conservative MP Richard Holden posted an image of it on Twitter, questioning whether it implies that Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer would not be seen in a handshake with the Indian Prime Minister.

“….Labour are, again, playing the identity politics,” he wrote in the microblogging site.

“Dear Keir Starmer, please can you explain this leaflet and clarify whether a Labour PM/politician would refuse to have any relationship with the world’s largest democracy? Is this your message to 1.5 million members of the Indian diaspora in the UK,” questioned the Conservative Friends of India (CFIN) diaspora organization.

The by-election in Batley and Spen, a traditional Labour stronghold, is seen as a crucial test of Starmer’s leadership after the opposition party fared poorly in the recent elections.

The Labour Friends of India (LFIN) diaspora group also took exception to such a leaflet campaign and said, “The Labour Party is right to call out Boris Johnson’s lack of action following the conclusion that anti-Muslim sentiment remains a problem within the Conservative Party.

Unfortunately, the Labour Party used a picture of the Prime Minister of India, the world’s largest democracy and one of the UK’s closest friends, from the G7 meeting in 2019, on its leaflet”.

The UK has a large Indian diaspora, estimated to be about 1.5 million.