Reflections on Bhadase Sagan Maraj

Many us are familiar with the location of the Bhadase Sagan Maraj Lakshmi Girls’ Hindu College. But few are aware of Maraj’s contributions.

He impacted politics, trade unionism and religion. In 1952, he established the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) and also served as president general of the All Trinidad Sugar Estates and Factory Workers Union.

During the 1950s he founded the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and was elected to the Legislative Council.

In official correspondence from United States officials and local newspaper articles there was evidence of contempt and scant disregard for Maraj.

For instance, in 1951, Maraj was selected as a delegate to represent Trinidad at the Festival of Britain. The Clarion, a local newspaper, in March 1951, questioned his qualifications and the government’s choice.

“Is he being rewarded for faithful service? Or is this merely a token of greater things to come if Mr Maraj continues to be a good boy?”

In June 1954, the editorial of The Clarion, issued a warning to Maraj, “…the use of religious organisations for political purposes would be a disastrously dangerous course. In the case of the Maha Sabha, the dangers are even greater because in that organisation religion can so easily become confused and identified with race.”

Dennis Mahabir, in June 1956, writing in The Clarion, lamented, “A pity it is that the leader of the PDP, Bhadase Maraj cannot as yet be visualised on such a platform, but his influence on a large number of people must not be ignored.”

Mahabir was the editor and associate editor of two local Indian literary magazines (Spectator and Observer) and later served as Mayor of Port-of-Spain during 1957-1960.

The issue of race/ethnicity determined the fate of Federation.

In March 1954, a confidential despatch from William Maddox, the American Consul General based in Port-of-Spain, to Washington provided insight into the colony’s race relations.

“Victor Bryan," the Colonial Secretary said, "was all for postponement, and this was difficult to understand since the Africans of Trinidad have much to gain in consolidating their position in what would be a predominantly African federal legislature to protect themselves against the rapidly-growing East Indian population of this Colony.

"In this connection, it is also difficult to understand the apparently favourable disposition towards federation manifested by Sinanan, an East Indian leader. The East Indian group of politicians, in general, have been lukewarm, if not hostile. The Consul General suspects that Sinanan’s gesture was more for the purpose of embarrassing the Government than for promoting the cause of federation.”

The Indian influence would be the focus of Maddox who mocked Maraj’s letter to the Trinidad Guardian on Federation. In May 1954, Maddox said it demonstrated "little of intellectual coherence" and further added, “Another important personality who has proclaimed his opposition to federation is Bhadore S. Maraj, East Indian legislator, leader of the largest Hindu society, and founder of his own Peoples’ Democratic Party, which he is presenting as a thinly-veiled racial threat in the coming campaign…The position of the East Indian in Trinidad (nearly 40 per cent of the population) would also be weakened by unrestricted immigration of Africans from the neighbouring islands.”

Later, the Consul General sought to identify those responsible for intensifying racial tension in 1955, “…certain East Indians, including the Indian Commissioner Bhadase Maraj, and the editor of the Observer must bear a large share of the responsibility.

"For in seeking to strengthen East Indian sentiment and solidarity, they have aroused the deep-seated distrust of the Indian among Negroes and whites alike, who, incidentally, are not aware of the rate of population growth of the Indian element.”

On 27 May 1962, Maraj, president general of the SDMS, and four members of his organisation departed for London to protest against the draft Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago. He would sing a different tune, in London, after the independence discussions.

Maraj, in a telephone discussion, told Williams (who was fondly known as Bill), “Bill I have always maintained that you had more brains than the rest of those fellows put together.”

Almost two decades ago, in 2004, Errol Pilgrim, writing in the Guardian newspaper, reflected on one of the encounters the press had with Bhadase in the Parliament.

“…Bhadase suddenly whipped out two revolvers and slammed them on the press table, spewing expletives about the wrath he intended visiting on his still thankfully absent political foes….his alarming weapons display would become something of a ritual at the press table, a feature of his dramatic entrance into the Parliament chamber for several afternoons thereafter.”