Pundit considers EOC complaint against PM

PUNDIT Satyanand Maharaj says he is considering lodging a complaint with the Equal Opportunities Commission against the Prime Minister over what Maharaj sees as Dr Rowley’s bias against the Indian community. In a media release yesterday, Maharaj said Rowley hosted Emancipation Day celebrations at the Diplomatic Centre on Sunday, and most government ministers and officials attended.

However he said the PM had not hosted similar celebrations for other events such as Indian Arrival Day, which was celebrated on May 30. “Instead Dr Rowley chose to do nothing for the Indian Arrival Day celebrations and to use the holiday to go to Tobago. It is self-evident from this act of bias that Dr Rowley does not view as important the Indian community. I intend to lodge a complaint with the Equal Opportunities Commission for this naked act of bias by the State against the Indian community.”

He said this was evidence that the PNM administration was not interested in the Indian community but only in its vote and financing.

However, according to the OPM’s official Facebook page, the PM, together with other senior government ministers had gone on an official trip to China (14-19 May) and Australia (20- 25 May). He returned to Trinidad on May 28 and on May 29 hosted a press conference at the Diplomatic Centre to report on the two official visits. The Indian Arrival Day holiday was the next day. Meanwhile, Maharaj said he was awaiting the PM’s Emancipation Day itinerary with “bated breath,” as Emancipation Day was also important to the Indian community.

“As a Hindu pundit I view Emancipation Day as important to our community as Indian Arrival Day. On Emancipation Day we should all celebrate the end of that heinous system of bondage called slavery. The end of slavery also is inextricably linked to the introduction of Indians in TT. The two cannot be separated and to observe one and not the other is irrational and racist.”