Rishi Sunak
(Picture: REUTERS)Rishi Sunak is to become both the country’s first Asian and first Hindu Prime Minister in a “historic moment”.
He was named by Tory MPs as the UK’s next leader on Diwali, the festival of lights celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world.
The festival celebrates new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.
During his time as chancellor, Mr Sunak lit candles on the doorstep of 11 Downing Street to mark the festival - something he later described as “one of my proudest moments of the job”.
Mr Sunak, born in Southampton to parents of Punjabi descent, is a practising Hindu and takes his Commons oath on the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Sanskrit text.
The Hindu Forum of Britain said it was an “auspicious day” and tweeted a letter he sent them to mark the festival.
Rt Hon Rushi Sunak MP , wish the HFB Family “HAPPY Diwali “. We wish him every success on this auspicious day. @RishiSunak @BobBlackman @RamiRanger @HCI_London @IndiansVoiceUK @ukhomeoffice @pritipatel @scullyp @luhc @DHSCgovuk pic.twitter.com/3YAc4FfMdo
— Hindu Forum Britain 🕉 (@hfbritain) October 24, 2022
Sunder Katwala, director of the thinktank British Future which works on race and immigration issues, said: “Rishi Sunak becoming the first British Indian Prime Minister is an historic moment. This simply would not have been possible even a decade or two ago.
“It shows that public service in the highest office in Britain can be open to those of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds.
“This will be a source of pride to many British Asians – including many who do not share Rishi Sunak’s Conservative politics. It will be especially meaningful to the first generation of migrants, like my father, who arrived in 1968 when politics was dominated by Enoch Powell’s call to ‘send them back’.”
UK's first British Asian PM 'an historic moment' - British Future https://t.co/0n7geu7hmS
— Sunder Katwala (@sundersays) October 24, 2022
Indian TV journalist Nidhi Razdan said his rise to the top job was “remarkable for many reasons”, adding: “one of which is the fact that the UK has a non white, Hindu as PM for the first time. That is something to celebrate, as the UK embraces its diversity.”
Rishi Sunak’s rise to the Prime Minister’s post is remarkable for many reasons, one of which is the fact that the UK has a non white, Hindu as PM for the first time. That is something to celebrate, as the UK embraces its diversity
— Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi) October 24, 2022
Former chancellor and ex-Evening Standard editor George Osborne said people should “celebrate the first British Asian becoming PM and be proud of our country where this can happen”.
