74th Independence Day: British MP sings ‘Yeh jo des hai mera, swades hai mera’

A digital celebration on Saturday of India’s Independence Day delivered to the fore singing expertise of a British MP of Indian origin, whereas MPs, members of the House of Lords and main lights from the neighborhood extolled the ‘living bridge’ between India and the UK.

The digital occasion organised by the Indian excessive fee included an deal with by envoy Gaitri Kumar, a message from Tariq Ahmad, minister for Asia within the Boris Johnson authorities, and members of the House of Lords Swraj Paul and Karan Bilimoria, amongst others.

As audio system recalled India’s journey to freedom and achievements over the many years, Labour MP Navendu Mishra hit the display screen with not phrases however a sense rendition of the favored quantity from the movie ‘Swades’ (2004): ‘Yeh jo des hai mera, swades hai mera’.

Mishra, whose dad and mom hail from Uttar Pradesh, is a first-time MP, elected from Stockport in Greater Manchester in December 2019. Also becoming a member of the digital celebration have been Harrow mayor Nitin Parekh (Labour) and London deputy mayor Rajesh Agarwal (Labour).

Some anti-India components organised a protest demonstration outdoors India House, which final 12 months witnessed violence on August 15, when individuals who gathered to have a good time the day have been attacked. The police mentioned an acceptable policing plan is in place to stop a recurrence.

India, Kumar mentioned, is wanting ahead to welcoming Prime Minister Boris Johnson “soon”, as she dwelt in her deal with on a number of people-to-people linkages between India and the UK, together with the Indian docs and nurses coping with the coronavirus pandemic within the NHS.

Noting the assistance prolonged by the neighborhood to the hundreds of Indians stranded earlier this 12 months, Kumar mentioned: “High Commission of India complemented the selfless efforts of our diaspora and worked day and night to help more than 28000 stranded Indians reach their homes in India”.

“This is the spirit of our diaspora, not only a living bridge, but also a loving one”, she added.

Individuals who contributed to the digital celebration dwell or in recorded messages included Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell, Usha Parashar of Ficci UK, Northern Ireland deputy first minister Michelle O’Neill, industrialist Nat Puri, and Andy Street, mayor of the West Midlands, and Rupanjana Dutta of the Indian Journalists Association..