As soon as Rishi Sunak was back in the race to be Britain’s next prime minister after a difficult, arduous season of political scandals and mudslinging, Sunak’s religion and roots were back in focus.
While all the other adjectives alluding to his immigrant, brown, South Asian roots are in order, the moniker some sections of the British press have used to describe Sunak over the past few days pertain to his religion – Hindu and Hindutva.
This curious mix of religion and politics is a recipe for political incorrectness, but when it comes to Sunak, reactions are often extreme and their pitch high.
It’s time to move beyond these monikers, in the interest of Britain. Let’s call it what it is. Rishi Sunak is Britain’s first non-white prime minister. He is also the first Indian-origin, British-Asian prime minister of Britain. He is also, at 42, the youngest prime minister in more than a century. He is the prime minister who is richer than the monarch sitting in Buckingham Palace, stone’s throw away from the British Parliament, the seat of government.
There are many firsts here, not just for British history but also Indian history, and the list could go on. Sunak’s detractors and opponents, who have revised versions and stances in a matter of days, finally have egg on their face. Continue reading here.
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