On London Temple Visit, UK PM Sunak Opens Up About His Hindu Faith: ‘Source Of Inspiration And Comfort’

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Saturday said that Hinduism is a source of “inspiration and comfort” for him, as he visited the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir during campaign trail for the high-stakes UK elections. Hindu faith teaches “us to do our duty and not fret about the outcome as long as one does it faithfully, Sunak said.

During his address to worshippers, Sunak talked about the concept of Dharma as a guiding principle in his approach to public service.

“I was proud to be sworn in as a member of parliament on the ‘Bhagavad Gita’. Our faith teaches us to do our duty and not fret about the outcome as long as one does it faithfully. That is what I was brought up to believe by my wonderful and loving parents, and that is how I try and live my life. And that is what I want to pass on to my daughters as they grow up,” he said.

A self-proclaimed “proud Hindu”, Sunak has on many occasions been seen celebrating Hindu festivals since he took over the top job.

The UK Prime Minister also engaged in lighthearted moments with the gathering, especially after a priest remarked upon how he had “raised the bar” for children in the Hindu community.

Sunak quipped: “If my parents were here and you asked them, they would probably tell you that they would have preferred it if I had become a doctor or a lawyer or an accountant”. His reply drew laughter from the congregation.

A cricket fan, Sunak also joked with gathered worshippers about cricket results after India won the T20 Cricket World Cup following win in a nail-biting match with South Africa. India on Saturday ended its 11-year-long ICC trophy drought, winning their first ICC title since the Champions Trophy in 2013.

Sunak’s visit to BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir came a day after Sunak expressed his “hurt and anger” over a racial slur made by a supporter of Nigel Farage’s right-wing Reform UK party.

Britain will vote next week in a snap election expected to end 14 year-rule of Rishi Sunak’s Conservative party. The Conservative party is trailing by 20 points to Keir Starmer’s Labour party. According to a survey, Sunak could lose his own seat.