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What about the daily lives of Hindus re alcohol abuse?

Oct 17, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,
I was quite taken back by Mr. Mahadeo Panchu’s letter, “We must preserve sanctity of Diwali,” (Kaieteur News 10-13-09).
He wrote, “Gerry Gouveia’s Duke Lodge will be holding a party titled “Eclipse – Glamour and Glow Party” for Diwali Night – a sacrosanct night in the Hindu calendar….as with parties of such genre, vulgarity and lewdness galore can be expected…Gouveia, it would seem intends to profiteer from Diwali….Hinduism, for too long has been subjected to abuse by people who are not Hindus…Hindu leaders of this country need to get their act together and condemn this sacrilegious violation of our religion.”
I wonder if Mr. Panchu realised that he inadvertently described the daily lives of a large number of Hindus as it pertains to alcohol abuse?
Is it not true that 99% of the rum shops are owned and operated by Hindus?
And that many such liquor restaurants are staffed by poor Hindu and Amerindian under aged girls?
What of the patrons? Are they not largely Hindu boys and men of all strata of society: poor and rich, illiterate and educated, cane cutter and teacher?
And in many cases are not these rum shops situated in close proximity to village mandirs? Where are the shop owners’ bedi or personal altar located?
Is it not usually on the same premises as the rum shops? Now this looks like abuse of Hindus by Hindus, and of Hindus profiteering off Hindus. Or is it OK for Hindus to do unto each other, but not so for a non Hindu? Or is abuse permitted daily except for the “sacrosanct nights?”
And who are the Hindu leaders? Are they Mr. Ravi Dev and Swami Aksharananda? These are the only two Hindus who have on several occasions called on Hindus to cease alcohol abuse but Hindus seemed to have largely ignored them. So maybe they are not the leaders.
What about the prominent Hindus in the Maha Sabha and the Dharmic Sabha some of whom were once rabid supporters of the PNC when it was in government and had even formed a committee to re-elect Mr. Hoyte as president, but are now ensconced in the ruling PPP and are rumoured to have formed another committee, this time to re- elect Mr. Jagdeo?
Many of this ruling Hindu coterie can be regularly seen indulging in alcohol abuse and “glamour and glow parties.” So maybe these are the Hindu leaders and they do seem to have a large following.
So I wonder which Hindu leader will want to condemn Mr. Gouveia’s Diwali Night party. At least his party will be devoid of drunken brawls, pistol whipping, and under aged Hindu and Amerindian girls.
For the record I am not against a drink or two. I am against alcohol abuse and not because of religious reasons but for the scientific fact that alcohol abuse destroys the brain and drastically lowers testosterone levels.
This severely impairs our mental faculties and reduces our physical abilities. It makes our men less of a man.
In closing could I ask some trained professional to conduct a study to determine if alcohol is not used as a political tool of repression in Guyana?
Keep the masses under the influence so much so that they do not read and cannot engage in a constructive conversation.
The masses cannot reason for themselves but are gullible to certain catch phrases like, “nah split the vote.”
How else do you justify the large number of rum shops in Hindu communities? Would Dr Harold Persaud care to take up the challenge?
Malcolm Harripaul

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