Was it political suicide?

THE EDITOR: In TT politics, one must be astute if one is to survive. Two wrongs do not make it right and Mrs Persad-Bissessar may have been naive in believing that the President General of the Maha Sabha, Satnarayan Maharaj, would not take personal affront to her joining in condemnation of his stance regarding the wearing of hijabs in the flagship Hindu Lakshmi Girls College.

This is TT where the words “respect,” “disrespect,” “race,” “religion,” “loyalty,” “pride,” and “ingratitude” carry nuanced meanings for all of us.

How more politically astute would it have been that some other person, perhaps the UNC PR officer, make a statement about the rules/ regulation/edicts regarding female attire generally, at any and all Hindu schools?

Across both sides of the political divide, we would have understood if our first female PM had said nothing.

Even as UNC political leader, we would have understood that she had to tread delicately. We take it for granted that the Maha Sabha could have been of alleged assistance in her political achievements.

Now that Sat Maharaj, incensed to the core, has freed his Hindu flock to roam politically where they want, the proof of the political pudding will be in the eating come the general election of 2020.

She slapped him in the face. He has slapped back. Harder. Consider the political fall out of biting the hand that feeds you.

Ask yourself this: did Persad-Bissessar unwittingly commit political suicide?

Lynette Joseph, Diego Martin