New Delhi: Rishi Sunak, the frontrunner in the race for UK Prime Minister was recently spotted in London performing Gau Pooja (cow worship) in London. The member of Parliament (MP) from Richmond was joined by his wife Akshata Murthy in doing gau pooja.
Akshata Murthy is the daughter of Infosys founder Narayan Murthy and their obeisance to cow signifies the importance that Indians accord to the animal.
Rishi Sunak, the UK PM candidate from Conservative Party leadership, was seen walking along with his wife Akshata towards a cow shelter.
Who? Rishi Sunak (PM candidate)
Where ? London, England
What ? Performing Cow worshipThat’s our rich cultural heritage we must be proud about.
तत् त्वम असि = Tat twam asi #Hinduism #Rishisunak #India #London #Hindutva pic.twitter.com/aaKdz9UM5R
— Sumit Arora (@LawgicallyLegal) August 25, 2022
As the photos and videos of the ritual landed on social media, it drew praise and applause from scores of Indians living in the United Kingdom.
In the video, the couple could be seen worshipping the cow and also doing an Aarti.
Rishi Sunak (potential PM of UK) and his wife doing Gau Mata Pooja in the UK. This strongly shows that India has ‘arrived’ on the world stage and we are no longer embarrassed or ashamed to display our rich cultural heritage. Jai Sanatan Dharam. #rishisunak #gaumata #dharma pic.twitter.com/jE8xtrtO68
— Mairan Sewtahal (@Mairansewtahal) August 20, 2022
This comes days after Rishi Sunak visited Lord Krishna temple on the occasion of Janmashtami. Sunak hasn’t refrained from showcasing his Indian connection and hence draws admiration from the Indian community living in UK.
View this post on Instagram
Before this, Sunak won the hearts of Indians when he celebrated lit diyas (oil lamps) at his official residence during Diwali celebrations.
Rishi Sunak is facing a tough contest from rival candidate Liz Truss, who has managed a moderate lead against the former. Following this, the Indian diaspora also organised havans to ensure well-being and victory.
Indian diaspora accounts for one of the largest ethnic minorities in the United Kingdom. There are about 1.5 million people of Indian descent living in UK, accounting for 2.5% of total population. This 2.5% of population contributes to about 6% of Britain’s GDP.