Rishi Sunak, the youngest and the first Hindu Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has incited both shock and awe in the international community. While a lot of Indians back home celebrated his victory as something of a personal payback, in the 75th year of India’s Independence from the British, the Left-liberals did not miss a single chance to cry out about how he’s hardly an “Indian”, and one of the biggest reasons he is where he is is his billionaire status.
Leaving his politics aside, one thing is for sure; Rishi Sunak is a proud Hindu. He took his oath on the Bhagvat Gita at his swearing-in ceremony, is often seen wearing a tilak and kalawa, and is a regular at the temple where he was born in Southampton. His daughters, Anoushka and Krishna, students of Indian classical music and dance, are also rooted in the Indian culture, and his tweet on Diwali this year, “Brilliant to drop into tonight’s Diwali reception in No10. I will do everything I can in this job to build a Britain where our children and our grandchildren can light their Diyas and look to the future with hope” this should be enough to silence anyone who doubts his faith.
The Indian community, specifically the Hindu community, is one of the most prosperous communities in the West. Today a host of important technology companies like Google and Microsoft boast of CEOs who are Hindus of Indian origin
But this has also led to microscopic scrutiny for Sunak from other communities. The Muslim Public Affairs Committee (MPACUK) posted a series of tweets between October 24 to 26—all criticising Sunak. It began on October 24 by saying: “Sunak doesn’t have the support of his own Party’s membership, nor most of his colleagues in Parliament, and definitely not of the country. MPACUK demands a General Election NOW!” Even well-known Pakistani writer-in-exile Ayesha Siddiqa alluded to his Hindu roots while writing, “We are generally weary of owning our own Hindus unless it is to showcase liberalism so what to speak of Richie Sunak who is not just Tory but Hindutva.” A past interview by Sunak on “grooming gangs”, predominantly pointing at Pakistani men, has also been dug out. Sunak is also seen promising action on sensitive race issues, which have often been buried in the UK due to ‘political correctness’, ruffling feathers along the way.
The Jewification of Hindus
Over the past few years, Hinduphobia and Hindumisia abroad have also given way to subtle Jewification of Hindus. Specifically, in the United States and the United Kingdom, where there are a large number of Hindus, either the NRIs or the people of Hindu heritage but not of Indian nationality, live and prosper. The community can face challenges as an unintended consequence of India’s rise on the global stage. Hindu society in the USA and the UK is an extremely prosperous society. The Indian community, specifically the Hindu community, is one of the most prosperous communities in the West. Today a host of important technology companies like Google and Microsoft boast of CEOs who are Hindus of Indian origin.
In 2022, India left its former colonial masters behind in terms of nominal GDP, and by doing so India became the fifth-largest economy in the world with over $ 3 Trillion. It is projected that between 2027-2032, India will leave behind Germany and Japan and become the 3rd largest economy in the world after the USA and China. This means the Indian economy will be around $10 trillion dollar in the coming decade. With such economic might, India will face several challenges at home and abroad. While the government of India can handle the challenges at home, “Indians” abroad will have to brace for challenging times. As the Indian diaspora grows and more and more people of Indian origin climb higher professionally, economically and politically, it’s only natural that it might be resisted. The situation for Indians and Hindus in the West can only be strengthened if they stand united.
The official theme of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2023 is “Diaspora: Reliable Partners for India’s Progress in Amrit Kaal.” The theme focuses on the importance of the Indian diaspora in the development of the country.
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