http://in.news.yahoo.com/071115/43/6n996.html
Wearing marigold garlands around his neck and a bright vermillion teeka on
the forehead, Britain's prime minister was anointed Govardhan Brown Wednesday
by a large crowd of cheering Asians celebrating Diwali in the heart of the
British establishment.
'From today, you are an honorary member of the Hindu community, as Govardhan
Brown,' said Ramesh Kallidai, general secretary of the Hindu Forum UK, to a
beaming Gordon Brown inside a packed hall in the House of Commons, the British
lower house of parliament.
'Please welcome Shri Govardhan Brown,' he said to loud cheers and applause
from a crowd that included scores of British members of parliament, as well as
prominent Indian-born businessmen and politicians.
Hundreds of Asians had turned up from all over Britain for the occasion - an
annual event that is organised jointly by British MPs and the Hindu Forum. This
was the seventh Diwali at the House of Commons.
Kallidai explained that the word Govardhan had an auspicious and sacred
meaning in Sanskrit - it's a hill in paradise - and told how Gordon Brown's
ascendancy to prime ministership had been predicted by Keith Vaz, the
longest-serving Asian MP, at last year's Diwali.
Vaz, a Labour MP and a leading light among Britain's Asians, told Brown
again, 'You are going to be prime minister for a long, long time.'
Not to be outdone, Brown, bent low with folded hands, said, 'Namaste. Diwali
Mubarak, saal Mubarak' - his Hindi sounding not a bit out of place inside the
ornate Cromwell Lobby room, which had taken on an appropriately Indian festive
look for the occasion.
Huge traditional Indian brass lamps lit up the wood-panelled and carpeted
room, its walls lined with painted portraits of British historical figures.
Throughout the hour-and-a-half-long event a steady stream of leading MPs from
all political parties visited the function - and queued up to speak to an
audience of Asian luminaries that included industrialist Swraj Paul, Indian
High Commissioner Kamlesh Sharma, Indian hotelier Capt C P Krishna Nair and
Dolar Popat, Chief Executive, London Inn Hotels.
Among dozens of leading MPs who turned up and spoke were Conservative Party
chairwoman Caroline Spelman, Sailesh Vara, also of the Conservative Party,
shadow leader of the House Theresa May, deputy leader of the House Harriet
Harman, acting leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable and Immigration
Minister Tony McNulty.
Brown, lauding the Indian community for its contributions to British life and
economy, said 'you are playing an enormously successful role, showing that what
we can achieve together is far greater than what we can achieve on our own.
'It is a role that will grow and grow in the years to come,' he added,
singling out Indian contributions in business, public services, faith groups
and charity.
And then, tongue in cheek, he told Vaz: 'I hope you will invite me next year
too.'
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