When the laborers in the sugar industry wanted representation in the 1950s, it was Bhadase Maraj who rose to the challenge and consolidated the workers under a single union.
In addition to winning a seat in the Legislative Council in the 1950 General Election, Bhadase Maraj went on to form the PDP in 1955 and won five seats in the 1956 General Election, the largest by a political party in the opposition, to become the first Leader of Opposition. In 1958 Bhadase teamed with Bustamante’s DLP of Jamaica to contest the Federal Election, defeating the PNM. In the 1959 Local Government Elections, it was the DLP under Bhadase who again defeated the PNM.
Born in 1920, Bhadase’s life was one of hardships and challenges but he did not succumb but rose to become one of the top businessman between 1950 and 1970. His wealth was not confined to hardware, cinema and racing pools but included the the Bomb Newspaper under the editorship of Patrick Chikolingo.
The most enduring contribution of Bhadase was the consolidation of the Sanatanist Hindus into the Maha Sabha in 1952. Today the Maha Sabha is one of the more powerful religious, social and cultural organizations with schools, temples, and scores of pandits and other officials including teachers and principals engaged in its daily administration.
This is unlike most flies by night Hindu leaders who run a single mandir with family members, relatives and sychophants. One pandit in Central Trinidad walked out of a mandir to build his personal mandir that “I can pass on to my son.”
All properties of the Maha Sabha are registered under the banner of the Maha Sabha. Can we say the same for those mandirs that are run by a Pandit, his wife, daughter and son-in-law?
The leadership of the Maha Sabha did not weaponize illiteracy and poverty like leaders in other communities. The Maha Sabha built schools which empowered rural communities like El Dorado, Felicity, San Francique, Tulsa Trace in Penal.
The performance of Lakshmi Girls College is second to none…five consecutive wins of the President Medal! That is empowerment!
Today Baal Vikas is the foremost cultural event among pupils at the primary school level and this has been going on for almost forty years. With limited funding from the State and corporate bodies, the Baal Vikass is a model of self-reliance and motivation.
When issues affecting the Hindu community need to be confronted, Hindus have come to rely on the Maha Sabha. Sat Maharaj was a fearless advocate not only for equity in the distribution of State funds for culture but also upholding the secular fabric of the nation. Who apart from the leadership of the Maha Sabha are known for speaking out against injustices in the society?
The current threat facing the Hindu community does not come from the Maha Sabha but from those family-run enterprises parading as mandirs. These institutions are the crudest expression of the Hindu lust for power…they just don’t share power but keeps it close to their chests.
The leaders of the UNC, Kamla Persad Bissessar, has pointed the way forward. She has opened the House of the Rising Sun to all and today we are not only witnessing but also experiencing the positive impact it is having In the politics and the nation.
How can any individual live in falsehood…making big statements and pointing fingers at others when he himself is guilty of similar acts?
The positive results of the work of the Maha Sabha point to some good things happening. And if the Maha Sabha selects its leaders, I do not have a problem. If others can do it, why not the Maha Sabha?
Where are those leaders that arose to rival the Maha Sabha? Most have rallied for a few years and went into oblivion…remember it is Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha…the Eternal Way.
