Young probes discrimination

Pundit Satyanand Maharaj
Pundit Satyanand Maharaj

MINISTER of National Security Stuart Young is probing the case of a woman told by the Point Fortin Passport Office to wipe off the red spot on her forehead, called a sindoor, that indicates she is a married Hindu woman.

Activist Devant Maharaj yesterday told Newsday the case was championed by Aranguez-based Pundit Satyanand Maharaj who posted details on his Facebook page.

“Most recently, last week in fact, a married Hindu woman applying for a passport at the Point Fortin branch of the Immigration Office, was humiliated and her religion insulted. The woman reported to me the pain of the moment when the processing officer at the Passport Office in Point Fortin turned and told her that she needed to go to the bathroom to remove her sindoor,” Maharaj said.

Pundit Maharaj said the sindoor, which is red vermilion, is a sign that Hindu women use to show they are married. “This is equivalent to a marriage ring of Western tradition except the sindoor carries religious significance in the Hindu tradition.”

“The woman asked a question about the unfamiliar request but the officer couldn't give a proper answer. The Hindu woman was told if the sindoor is showing in the picture it will not be accepted and she will have to do the application over.”

Pundit Maharaj remarked that the woman’s driver's permit and identification card pictures both display a picture of her with the sindoor applied to her head. “Additionally, her expired passport photo has a picture of her wearing the sindoor.”

He asked if there is now a new rule now to discriminate against Hindu women? Just as a Muslim woman had to go to court to wear her hijab, it now seems the Hindu woman must do likewise, Maharaj said.

“In a culturally diverse society as Trinidad boasts of being, it is therefore continually surprising to learn of the cultural and religious ignorance.” Pundit Maharaj cited the sari skit and the issue of personal mandirs in the property tax debate.

“Thankfully, Devant Maharaj provided the nation with Minister Stuart Young's cell phone number and I relayed to the goodly Minister the incident. After some time, Minister Young responded indicating that I should email him,” the pundit said.

Pundit Maharaj displayed a screen-shot of a message from Young promising to look into the matter, a response also confirmed to Newsday by Devant Maharaj. Young’s reply said, “I acknowledge receipt of your message and I have passed it on to Immigration and requested a report. I am looking in to what you have alleged.”

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