[UPDATED] MAHA SABHA RIFT

A rift in the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) appears to be growing wider after two pundits, originally named in a group of eight who were challenging the leadership of the country’s largest Hindu body, distanced themselves from proposed legal action against the interim leader of the organisation.

On Wednesday, an attorney for eight pundits allegedly threatened to take legal action against the two men currently holding the positions of president general and secretary. The letter, sent to the two men, said they were holding office illegally.

In a pre-action protocol letter, eight pundits purportedly called on Vijay Maharaj, son of Maha Sabha secretary-general Satnarayan Maharaj, who died last November, and Krishna Rambally to desist from holding themselves out as secretary-general and president-general, respectively.

In a response Thursday evening, Vijay Maharaj told Newsday he received the attorney’s letter on Wednesday and in his view, the claims made by the eight pundits, “are totally without merit.” Asked to comment further, Maharaj said this matter is now in the hands of his attorneys.

The eight pundits named in the pre-action protocol letter are: Bhadase Seethal-Maraj, of Calcutta Road, Freeport; Khemraj Pundit, of Charlieville; former Maha Sabha executive member Satyanand Maharaj, of Aranguez; Hardeo Maharaj, of Mc Bean Village, Couva; Asram Supersad Maharaj, of Monroe Road, Cunupia; Sunil Seethal-Maraj, of Gulf View, La Romaine; Mahendra Rambally, of Bejucal, Cunupia; and Darmin Nankumar, of Bamboo Village No. 3, Valsayn.

However, on Thursday, attorney Alvin Ramroop, who is representing La Romaine-based pundit Seetahal Maharaj, wrote to attorney Vashist Maharaj, saying he (pundit Seetahal Maharaj) gave no instruction to be a party to the intended legal action against Vijay Maharaj and Krishna Rambally.

“Our client has instructed us that he is presently out of the jurisdiction, namely India, and has not given you any instructions either oral or in writing for him to be a party to this pre-action protocol letter. Our client is not interested in being a party to this pre-action protocol letter and as such is requesting that you take urgent steps to correct your pre-action protocol letter by completely removing his name from same. “Kindly take the urgent appropriate steps to correct this error,” Ramroop said.

Later on Thursday, correspondence sent to Newsday showed that another pundit, Deochan Maharaj, of Cross Crossing, San Fernando, was distancing himself from the proposed action. He said he gave no one permission to use his name to initiate legal action against Vijay Maharaj and Krishna Rambally.

“I place on record I am a pundit with the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha and as such, that is where my loyalty lies,” Deochan Maharaj said in a hand-written letter sent to SDMS headquarters in St Augustine, just before 8 pm.

Wednesday’s pre-action protocol letter insisted Bhadase Seethal-Maraj was the constitutionally appointed president general of the Maha Sabha and not Rambally. The pundits also contend that there has been no election for the position since September 2019.

They also claim any decision taken by the purported national executive from December 2019, is null and void and that Maharaj and Rambally were illegally appointed trustees. The letter contends the Maha Sabha’s constitution provides for the dual role of the secretary-general and second trustee.

The two remaining trustees also have dual roles as members of the executive. They are not elected but appointed by the president and the secretary-general from the members of the executive as trustees. The pundits want all decisions taken by either Maharaj or Rambally voided, and warned that they will be asking for an order that an election must be held for the position of secretary-general.

They will also seek injunctions restraining the two men from continuing to make decisions on behalf of the Maha Sabha. In the letter, the group said the last elected president was Uttam Maharaj at the September Conference of Delegates in 2018. At that time Bhadase Seetahal-Maraj was appointed first vice president. Uttam Maharaj died shortly after his election on November 29, 2018, and according to the letter, the first vice president should have carried out duties of the president until the September 2019 conference was held and a new one elected. They said this was not done and, as a consequence, Bhadase Seethal-Maraj remains president. Vijay Maharaj was named as the Maha Sabha’s first vice secretary at a meeting last September.

This story was originally published with the title "8 pundits challenge Maha Sabha leaders" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

THE LEADERSHIP of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha is being challenged by a group of pundits who say the two men currently holding the positions of president general and secretary are doing so illegally.

In a pre-action protocol letter, eight pundits have called on Vijay Maharaj, son of the Maha Sabha’s former secretary general Satnarayan Maharaj, who died in November, and Krishna Rambally to desist from holding themselves out as secretary general and president general respectively.

The eight pundits are: Bhadase Seethal-Maraj, of Calcutta Road, Freeport; Khemraj Pundit, of Charlieville; Satyanand Maharaj, of Aranguez; Hardeo Maharaj, of Mc Bean Village, Couva; Asram Supersad Maharaj, of Monroe Road, Cunupia; Sunil Seethal-Maraj, of Gulf View, La Romaine; Mahendra Rambally, of Bejucal, Cunupia; and Darmin Nankumar, of Bamboo Village No 3, Valsyan.

They are represented by attorney Vasheist Maharaj.

The pundits say Seethal-Maraj is the constitutionally appointed president general, not Rambally.

They also contended that there has been no election for the position since September 2019.

They also claim that any decision taken by the purported national executive from December 2018 is null and void and that Maharaj and Rambally were illegally appointed trustees.

The letter contends that the Maha Sabha’s constitution provides for the dual role of secretary general and second trustee.

The two remaining trustees also have dual roles as members of the executive. They are not elected, but appointed by the president and the secretary general from the members of the executive as trustees.

The pundits want all decisions taken by either Maharaj or Rambally voided, and warned that they will be asking for an order that an election must be held for the position of secretary general.

They will also seek injunctions restraining the two men from continuing to make decisions on behalf of the Maha Sabha.

In the letter, the group said the last elected president was Utham Maharaj at the September Conference of Delegates in 2018. At that time Bhadase Seetahal-Maraj was appointed first vice president.

Utham Maharaj died shortly after his election on November 29, 2018, and according to the letter, the first vice president should have carried out duties of the president until the September 2019 conference was held and a new one elected.

They said this was not done and, as a consequence, Bhadase Seethal-Maraj remains president.