UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty sought blessings at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in London in the lead-up to the UK elections. As a devoted Hindu, Sunak was honest about his faith and how it helped him cope with difficult times. He stressed the significance of Dharma, the Hindu notion of responsibility, in directing his strategy for doing public service.
“In my life, Dharma guides me,” Sunak said, recalling the principles taught to him by his parents. He casually brought up his professional choices while joking with devotees, drawing a contrast to the usual expectations within the Hindu community.
Before Sunak visited the temple, he had criticised a racial slur during his campaign. Sunak is in for a tough election, as surveys show that his Conservative party is well behind Labour. This didn’t dampen his optimism, though; he continued to communicate with devotees about cricket and communal expectations.
In his remarks to the crowd, Sunak took great delight in being sworn in on the sacred text of the Bhagavad Gita and emphasised the significance of faith in directing both private and public choices.
