Rishi Sunak, the world statesman.
Published un the Sunday Guardian Mumbai.
By Nitin Mehta
June 18, 2023
‘When I got this job, I said I was going to do things differently because I wanted to change politics and that is what I am doing’, the British PM has said
On 25 October 2022, history was made when Rishi Sunak became the first non-white, Hindu Prime Minister of Britain. The British Government under Boris Johnson was in farcical mayhem. The US and other countries looked on in disbelief at what was going on in the country. It was under these circumstances that 42-year-old Sunak took over the reins of the nation. The country watched in anticipation. One wondered how the country’s working classes as well as the middle and upper classes would react. How would entrepreneurs, academics, think tanks and the deep state react? It was only 75 years since India got Independence from Britain and here we had a person of Indian origin in charge of running the former colonial power. US President Joe Biden said that the rise of Rishi Sunak to the top echelons of British society was “pretty astounding, a ground breaking milestone and it matters”. The first test for Sunak came when he stood up to answer the Leader of the Opposition Keir Starmer in Parliament. As a full house Parliament watched, Sunak replied with utter confidence, composure and chutzpah. There were no nerves! The Doubting Thomases though were persistent. How, they wondered, would Sunak tackle a mountain of critical issues facing the nation? Sunak however quickly got to grips with the country’s problems. He steadied the economy and prevented it from going into recession. The country was now seeing a leader who was a gifted speaker and action-oriented. Sunak went on to solve the intractable problem of the Northern Ireland Protocol, convincing the European Union to relax its stance on the movement of goods between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Sunak went on to tackle the most difficult issue of illegal migrants. Despite an outpouring of hysteria from left-wing media, including the BBC, Sunak has put in place measures to stop illegal migration. He further proved that he could be tough, too. He did not give in to industrial strikes by the Nurses Union. The nurses called off their strike action after reaching an amicable solution with the government. He also refused to accept Boris Johnson’s demand that peerages be granted to his friends. Sunak said, “When I got this job, I said I was going to do things differently because I wanted to change politics and that is what I am doing”. While he was tackling all these challenges the Prime Minister was also putting in place the framework for Britain’s prosperity. He identified the lack of excellence in mathematics as an obstacle to the country’s progress and pledged to make this right. Having proved his credentials with domestic problems, Sunak went on to prove himself on the international stage with great aplomb. He met world leaders at the G7 meeting in Japan. His visit secured around £18 billion ($23 billion) of new investment into the UK from Japanese businesses. During his most recent visit to the US, Sunak received red carpet treatment. Unlike former Prime Ministers Theresa May and Boris Johnson, Sunak was put up at Blair House, a palatial residence opposite the White House. It is described as the world’s most exclusive hotel. It was a joy to see him receive a welcome from the US armed forces. Sunak is of small build, but he stood tall as he witnessed the guard of honour. President Biden also took part in a rare press conference with him. As a sign of special friendship, the President invited Sunak to a baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks. He met with Senators and members of Congress at Capitol Hill and addressed a major meeting of US business leaders, hosted by the CEO of General Motors. A New Transatlantic travel and defence security deal was signed, as well as an agreement to collaborate on A1, 5G, and 6G telecoms, quantum computing, semiconductors and engineering biology. The Prime Minister has also positioned Britain as a leader in the field of Artificial Intelligence and plans to host a meeting of the leading AI countries. It is a great pity that the print media in the UK did not take much notice of Sunak’s visit to the US. It is a form of censorship that betrays prejudices. The great British public on the other hand is quietly appreciative of Sunak’s achievements. The impact that the Prime Minister has had on Indians everywhere is phenomenal. There are no glass ceilings for Indians anywhere in the world anymore. Sunak has set an example of courage and determination. He has a unique command of the English language and a willingness to act. He also proudly acknowledged his Hindu faith and keeps Lord Ganesh in his office. These are the qualities that every Indian everywhere should cultivate. On a recent visit to the UK, respected scholar Rajiv Malhotra launched his book, “Snakes in the Ganges”. It is about numerous NGOs, mainly from the US who with their offices in India are trying to destabilise the country. He also mentioned that many industrialists unknowingly finance some of these NGOs. At a meeting, I asked Rajiv ji as to what action is being taken to confront these forces. No action. No plans to contact and inform the industrialists either. Therein lies our Achilles’ heel. A lot of talk, no action. Sitting on the fence is a betrayal of our Dharma by the very people, organisations and Gurus who talk about the many existential challenges we face. No one wants to step out of their comfort zone.
Nitin Mehta is the founder of Indian Cultural Centre, London. www.nitinmehta.co.uk
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