london’s first Muslim Mayor can achieve a lot
Sadiq Khan's election as london's first Muslim Mayor has both symbolism and substance. The first is obvious in that the city can revel in having broken the shackles of religious parochialism at a time when Islam is being seen, unfortunately, by significant sections of Western society, as a driver of terrorism and hatred. Khan's victory demonstrates that the people of london have debunked this alarmist viewpoint and differentiated between the extremism that Islamists practise and the moderation that is preferred by the vast majority of Muslims not just in london or the United Kingdom but the world over. Khan now has a good opportunity to drive home this point via the lofty position he has won for himself. Because, while his triumph symbolises the liberal face of both Islam and the people who have voted for him, the euphoria can quickly dissipate and be replaced by the ‘I told you so' scepticism in case Khan fails to make a visible difference to the lives of londoners. To do so, he will have to not only provide a good administration but also battle perceptions that had dogged him in the run-up to the election. One of these perceptions was that he had links with people who were in some way connected with the Islamic State. No evidence had been provided by his critics to back the allegation, but election time is hardly the occasion for such niceties. Khan had warded off the charge, emotionally expounding that he was “the British Muslim” who would “take on the extremists”. He also had to keep a low profile in the wake of an anti-Semitism row that threatened to alienate the Jewish voters from the labour Party, to which he belongs. The anti-Semitism impact was, nevertheless, seen in other places which voted and where the labour did relatively poorly.
Khan's success is also a triumph of middle class and eclectic london. His rise to the top began from the bottom of the ladder, since he did not have a privileged background. He is the son of a former bus driver and seamstress mother, and through dint of hard work and focussed pursuit of excellence, he got into the legal profession before entering politics. Over a decade ago, he showed his inclination towards combating racial prejudices by representing an Indian who had become a victim of such discrimination. The political system was quick to recognise the potential in him, and soon enough, Khan found himself attracted to the labour Party, from where his new career began shaping up. Now, he lords over a budget of 17 billion pounds, which he has to put to good use in areas as diverse as transportation, police force and fire services, and affordable homes. At the same time, he has to patiently chip away at the stereotypes that people of his community have been burdened with. If he fails in the first, it is possible that the second may get strengthened. Neither Khan nor his community nor london will be the gainer in case he does not rise to the occasion.