Issues such as poor roads, the failure to open the Couva Children Hospital, dry taps, floods, lack of incentives to farmers and runaway crimes are not raised by the leaders of Hindu and Indian religious and cultural organizations when they have politicians as their guests. Unfortunately, their guests are usually given the freedom to choose their subjects. And that is the purpose of the platform, not to address community issues but for these leaders to make friends with politicians to feather their own nests.
Politicians need platforms to be among the people and festivals such as Ramleela, Phagwa, Yagyas and Divali with hundreds of people are ideal for them. While these platforms are ideal to raise issues affecting this people, this is not done for fear of antagonizing the politicians. For example, can anyone say in the presence of Kamla Persad Bissessar that Raja Dasarath, looking at the mirror and seeing gray hairs, made the decision to crown Rama as prince of Ayodhya, thus signaling his retirement? No leader dared! The risk is too great!
Had I been given the opportunity to welcome and introduce the Prime Minister at a Divali program I would have raised the failure of his government to complete schools to give children the right to an education. Why is his government not completing repairs to the Rousillac Hindu School and the Preysal Government Primary School? How can the Prime Minister explain the failure of his government to open the newly built Reform Hindu School 8 years ago and which is now vandalized while the children continue to endure cramped accommodation in a structure that was not built for a school 70 years ago?
I must take this opportunity to congratulate Karan Nancoo, the secretary of GOPIO for leading the call to not allow Minister Stuart Young on the Divali Nagar stage. Nancoo is a voice of courage, a trait of his courageous ancestors who did not surrender to the missionaries. The Prime Minster, heeding the anger of the people caused by Stuart Young’s unsavory remarks against the Leader of the Opposition, decided to come himself to address the audience on the last night at Divali Nagar.
A few years ago, there was a skit at a PNM Family Day depicting a woman in a yellow sari being disrobed by several men. Pandit Satyanand Maharaj sounded the alarm and the UNC and other members of the public rallied in a protest at the Prime Minister’s Office and an apology came forth from the Prime Minister.
Politicians are human beings and they do have a conscience. In the 1960s when a masquerader was threatening to portray Hindu gods on the streets on Carnival Day Bhadase Maraj protested. The bandleader, claiming that money was spent on the costume, Maraj agreed to compensate him. The bandleader, knowing Maraj to be wealthy got greedy and began demanding more money. The controversy reached Prime Minister Dr Eric Williams and he instructed Maraj not to pay a cent to the bandleader. The Commissioner of Police immediately issued a public notice debarring the portrayal of any living religion.in mas bands,
Individuals have the right to lobby for whatever benefits they may wish to derive from the guardians of the State. However, there is no need for them to use the guise of kurta, sari, shalwar and Mother Lakshmi to achieve such goals. It would be better that they wear the garb and language of politicians and act more openly. The resources of the State belong to all equally. In fact, access to the resources of the State is a right and not a privilege!
In Guyana the PNC led by Forbes Burnham was successful in beating religious leaders and academics into submission. In Trinidad and Tobago, that has not been so to some extent but thankfully the majority of Hindus have resisted vigorously. Unfortunately, we are witnessing some chinks on the armor of the Hindu leadership as the Omichands, Jaichands, Mir Jaffars and Sonny Ramphals command the stage. The time has come to call out these opportunists!
