Muslim Britons: Quest for Equality
Ishtiaq Ahmed
London: Rishi Sunak is firmly installed at 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the British Prime Minister. As the first non-white and the first Asian Prime Minister of the UK, he has shattered the ultimate glass ceiling and shown that minorities can vie and aspire towards the ultimate high office in the land. Surely, he will serve as a positive role model for young, ambitious British Asians.
The appointment of the first Asian to the highest political office of the country which remains one of the world’s major powers is certainly a cause for much celebration. It is an indication of how far British Asians have travelled in the mainstream politics of the country which is now their home. However, we should not get too carried away.
Mr Sunak’s appointment should not delude us to believe that all of a sudden British society has become racism free. The pervasive force of racism throughout the rank and file of the British society will remain to blight the progress of minority ethnic communities long after Rishi’s tenure has expired.
Rishi comes from a very privileged social, educational, and economic background in stark contrast to the reality facing majority of British Asians and Blacks.
A Pakistani Muslim friend asked me during a conversation: How should Pakistani Muslim Britons view the appointment of Mr Sunak as the first Asian Prime Minister? I could detect some apprehension in his question.
Maybe he was worried by the fact that Mr Sunak is a practicing Hindu of Indian heritage. Naturally, he is expected to have sympathetic leaning towards British Hindus and India.
This may very well be the case. However, I expect him to reach out to British Muslims and beyond to demonstrate an inclusive approach. The Tory Party has been beset with issues of racism and class, and this is an opportunity for the party to demonstrate and embrace inclusiveness. A wider appeal is a must for the Conservatives if they are to prevail at the ballot box.
Rishi is a smart operator and a man of considerable intellect, and we should expect him to grasp the opportunity to appeal to marginalised communities that had previously felt little empathy for the elitist Tory party.
Born in the UK to a migrant family of Indian and Kenyan heritage, he is bound to have experienced some degree of racism and prejudice in the course of his meteoric rise. Much is written about his extraordinary wealth and privilege.
However, that has really come through marriage, which overlooks the comfortable but hardworking family life he experienced in his formative years. So it is a reasonable expectation that he would be more understanding of the challenges faced by minority ethnic communities, and no less so by British Muslims.
There is also an expectation that he would be more positively proactive in his engagement with Muslim leadership than his predecessors. Perhaps more welcoming and understanding than his predecessors. The Muslim community is the second largest faith community in the UK, an increasingly assertive minority that is progressively becoming a major electoral force, which would be to his and his party’s advantage.
Mr Sunak, according to his own admission, is a practicing Hindu and a person of faith. As such, the expectation is that he would be more understanding of the importance and relevance of faith to our society.
However, for the wider Muslim diaspora, including Muslims of Pakistani heritage, he would also be judged on his approach to the longstanding issues of Kashmir and Palestine, which British Muslims hold very dear. In this respect, his attitude to these protracted issues will be the ultimate test of his sincerity to the feeling and sentiments of the Muslim electorate.
Finally, British Muslims suffer huge disparities in opportunities. Muslims face disproportionately high levels of racial and religious discrimination that thwarts their progress, aided by hostile sections of the media.
In recent years, Islamophobia has been on a trajectory that propels it towards something akin to a nascent version of antisemitism. These are huge challenges which can only be tackled by the new Prime Minister’s resolve and leadership.
Sajjad Khan I agree but these things can’t be achieved in isolation independent of the state operators. We contribute enormously to the state purse and in return we should expect better engagement, fairer treatment in all the things that you have so kindly pointed out.
The fact Rishi has broken the ceiling is to be welcomed but he should be judged by his policy and action not by his colour of skin, however, his ethnic background should help him to have a better appreciation of challenges facing minorities in this racism and Islamophobia laden society. This is a legitimate expectation to have but I am not getting carried away.
However, Muslim Britons of right should look to his office for a fairer treatment which is denied to them.
The first thing is that after the farce that was Truss and Kwassi, almost anyone sounds like a relief.
I guess he needs to be given time for a more balanced judgement and this can only be done really on results.
Irrespective of our thoughts, the real test is whether Rishi himself puts “ Britain First”. His family has Tanzanian background but of course has Indian and Hindu allegiances. He is himself rooted in Southampton but seen as a Yorkshireman. Like me he is also Gujurati. Perhaps the least stated part of his biography is the fact he now becomes one of the greatest sins of Pakistan!
On the whole he seems to have started well EXCEPT for the fat elephant in the room with his appointment if Cruella Braverman, a decision which i suspect will come back and bite his backside.
It is too early to give any verdict on Rishi Sunak for two reasons a) we are not sure about the length of time he will be allowed to serve as the prime minister and b) what domestic policies he will pursue to provide any relief for the much crushed working people of our country as the result of rapidly escalating prices and uncontrolled inflation. Do no expect however any change in the foreign policy because of him . We must not forget that British class system plays dominant role i our politics. With the ecnomic development of British Asian and other coloured communities may also join the Tory Party gradually and this growing trend is acknowledged by this party. The rich Asian businesses are already substantialy contributing financially to the Conservative Party and numerous of these individuals will continue with the increasing number of its membership. The Torires will alays lookafter their class first.
But the preponderate majority of visible minorities including Muslims will continue to be subject to being discriminated and marginalised if they fail to make to make necessary progress in the social,economic educational and political fields. Also genuine desire to seek meaningful interaction and social integration with the indigenous white fell citizens. Don’t expect to get everything on the plate. You will have e to work hard to achieve your respect Party and society .