When the UK PM met a Hindu preacher

Brut India

"Proud to be British, proud to be Hindu." Here's what UK PM Rishi Sunak said during a religious gathering...

Transcript

00:00Bapu, I'm here today not as Prime Minister, but as a Hindu.

00:30Bapu, Jai Siyadam.

00:55It is truly an honour and a pleasure to be here today at Murari Bapu's Ram Katha at

01:00the University of Cambridge on Indian Independence Day.

01:06Bapu, I'm here today not as Prime Minister, but as a Hindu.

01:23For me, faith is very personal.

01:27It guides me in every aspect of my life.

01:31Being Prime Minister is a great honour, but it is not an easy job.

01:36There are difficult decisions to make, hard choices to confront.

01:41And our faith gives me courage, strength and resilience to do the best I can for our

01:49country.

01:56For me, it was a wonderful and special moment to light diyas for Diwali outside 11 Downing

02:05Street back when I was Chancellor.

02:07And just like Bapu has a golden Hanuman in his background, I am proud that a golden

02:14Ganesh sits gleefully on my desk at 10 Downing Street.

02:18It is a constant reminder to me of the importance of listening and reflecting on issues before

02:24acting.

02:25Now, I am proud to be British.

02:29Proud to be Hindu.

02:37Growing up, I have fond memories of attending our own local mandir in Southampton.

02:43My parents and family would organise havans, pujas, aartis.

02:47Afterwards, I would help serve lunch and prasad with my brother and sister and cousins.

02:53Our values, and what I see Bapu does each day of his life, are the values of selfless

02:59service, devotion and keeping faith.

03:03But perhaps the greatest value is duty, or seva as we know it.

03:10These Hindu values are very much shared British values.

03:15Many of you, like my parents and grandparents, came to this country with very little, mainly

03:20from India and East Africa, from Kenya or Tanzania like my parents, or from Uganda following

03:27the expulsion.

03:29All your stories are an example to us all.

03:34You worked your way up to give my generation the greatest opportunities ever.

03:41And today, I want to say thank you.

03:50Thank you to the generation who worked day and night for our education and our today.

03:58Without you, I and we would not be here today.

04:03And now is the time for my generation to give back in whatever way that we can.

04:10I leave here today remembering the Ramayana which Bapu speaks on, but also the Bhagavad

04:17Gita and the Hanuman Chalisa.

04:20And for me, Lord Rama will always be an inspirational figure to face life's challenges with courage

04:29to govern with humility and to work selflessly.

04:34Bapu, with your blessings, I aspire to lead in accordance with how our scriptures have

04:41taught leaders to lead.

04:43And thank you, Bapu, for everything that you do.

04:55Your teachings of truth, love, and compassion are more relevant now than they have ever

05:01been.

05:02I am in awe of your stamina and devotion.

05:07You have just returned from conducting a Katha just last week in India, covering 12,000 kilometers

05:14across the subcontinent and stopping at all 12 main shivlings of India.

05:22And I thought I traveled a lot.

05:26Now I have been overwhelmed by the love and the support of the British people and particularly

05:32from all of you.

05:34Your support, and in closing let me just say this, your support means a great deal to me.

05:41I am truly touched by the warm welcome I have received here today.

05:46I wish you all very well and I look forward to seeing you all again very soon.

05:52Jai Sri Ram.

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