British minister in Bhangra diplomacy

CHANDIGARH: He broke into a Bhangra. Greeted everyone with a ‘Sat Sri Akal’ and even offered a piece of cake to the bride. With a major general election round the corner back home, British minister for business, innovation and skills Pat McFadden – who was here to attend a wedding on Monday – could not have had a better campaign trail.
With as many as 10,000 of his 70,000-strong constituency being Sikhs, the MP from Wolverhampton in the UK took time out from a busy two-day trip to north India to shake a leg and exchange pleasantries at the wedding of UK-based media baron Karam Singh’s son Rajinder, held here at a posh resort in Zirakpur.It was the first-ever Indian wedding he was attending in India itself.
His presence lent importance to the occasion which had about 350 guests, consisting entirely of NRIs, with a few Punjab politicians and bureaucrats joining the festivity. Both the bride and the groom had flown in from the UK.
“Politicians have to work for every vote. One has to work for the voters,” he told TOI, even as he exchanged greetings with folded hands, calling out ‘Sat Sri Akal’ to those present. With Punjabi music playing in the background, McFadden, clad in a three-piece suit, was warmly welcomed by the Singh family in traditional Indian style by garlanding him.
“He had promised to attend the event and to get an insight of our culture. We live in a multi-cultural society and he respects everyone. He loves the Bhangra,” said his host Karam Singh, who was delighted at the sheer presence of the minister on his son’s wedding.
McFadden grooved to the beats of dhol, relished Punjabi cuisine and interacted with those present at the party. And, it wasn’t just the marriage diplomacy. He had a hectic day, meeting chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, discussing possibilities of tie-ups in the field of education. He later visited a private institute. On Tuesday, he will visit the new IIT at Ropar.