Anand Mahindra tweets Churchill’s quote from 1947 as UK gets its first Indian-origin PM

For many Indians, it is a matter of great pride that Rishi Sunak - a man of Indian origin - is going to become the prime minister of a country that enslaved India for decades.

For industrialist Anand Mahindra, it brought Winston Churchill’s words to mind. In 1947, on the cusp of Indian Independence, the British statesman denounced Indians as “rascals, rogues and freebooters,” as he spoke against granting freedom to India.

“If Independence is granted to India, power will go to the hands of rascals, rogues, freebooters; all Indian leaders will be of low calibre and men of straw,” he said.

Many, including Mahindra, saw Rishi Sunak’s ascent to power in the UK as a sort of turning of the tables. The chairman of Mahindra Group quoted Churchill’s infamous words as he wrote: “In 1947 on the cusp of Indian Independence, Winston Churchill supposedly said ‘…all Indian leaders will be of low calibre & men of straw.’ Today, during the 75th year of our Independence, we’re poised to see a man of Indian origin anointed as PM of the UK. Life is beautiful…”
Mahindra’s tweet has racked up nearly 75,000 ‘likes’ and hundreds of appreciative comments.

Sunak, 42, is set to become Britain’s next Prime Minister after winning the Conservative leadership race on Monday. He will take over from Liz Truss, who resigned after 45 days in office.