As India’s Independence Day is celebrated around the world, I would like to send my warmest wishes to all British Indians.
The contribution that Londoners of Indian descent have made and continue to make to the success of our capital and our country is incalculable.
From life-saving work in hospitals, surgeries and the emergency services, to helping keep our city moving with public and private transport and powering the economy through businesses large and small, Londoners of Indian descent have helped to shape all aspects of our society.
Throughout this pandemic, we have seen this more than ever, with Londoners of Indian descent serving their communities on the frontline, volunteering to help others or simply playing their part by staying at home. Even in the toughest of times, they have shown the very best of the spirit of our city. But, tragically, we have seen many lose their lives.
It has long been clear that people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds have been disproportionately impacted by Covid-19, with those from South Asian communities among the most likely to die in hospital. This is simply unacceptable and British Indians deserve proper answers.
The events of recent months have spurred much-needed conversations about racism and systemic injustice and it is clear significant action must follow. That is why I have repeatedly called on the Government to ensure that the ethnicity of people who die from Covid-19 is recorded on their death certificates, and why I continue to call for an independent public inquiry into the causes of the disparity and for measures to be put in place to ensure change.
So, as we celebrate another year since India gained its independence, we must also ensure the hard-won rights and freedoms in Britain, secured through generations of activism and sacrifice, are available to all. And as we begin to recover from this crisis, we must prioritise forging a new social contract - one which advances the twin causes of racial and economic equality and supports the welfare and wellbeing of every single community in this country.
