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Trained Hindu pandits are being discriminated against

Jul 31, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,
Please allow me space to make a public complaint that the Guyana Central Arya Samaj. (this is the umbrella organization of Arya Samaj Hindus), has been given the “run around” in its application for licensing certification (accreditation) for a number of its pandits to perform state licensed marriages under Hindu rites. These young pandits were trained under the eminent and illustrious Dr. Satish Prakash over the course of several years and graduated as eminently qualified pandits via the Guyana Central Arya Samaj.
The application for licensing was made last October and the Ministry of Public Security, in charge of issuing said certification, has not acted in good faith. In fact, it seems to be discriminating against Hindus in much the same way that the predecessor regime did. A similar application made by the Viraat Sabha, which is known to be affiliated with the coalition regime, for its pandits were acted upon expeditiously.
So why the run around for pandits of the Guyana Central Arya Samaj? Is it that Hindu organizations must now become associated with the ruling coalition in order to be accorded rights? The Arya Samaj’s accreditation application was made last October and right after there were several follow-ups with Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and the Ministry’s staff. The Ministry acknowledged receipt of the application, saying it was working on the request. In March, the Ministry requested additional documents which were submitted.
After a follow up, the Ministry said it “lost” the application and asked for a resubmission. This was done with all the relevant supporting documents previously requested and submitted as attachments. In May, the Ministry said it had transferred the application to Minister Winston Felix’s Citizenship Ministry for action. Up till now, Felix has not acted on it. But wait! What does the Citizenship Ministry have to do with licensing of pandits? And if this is indeed the relevant ministry to handle this issue why is it not doing so across the board for marriage officers from all religious entities and denominations?
Clearly, the more things change, the more they remain the same. The coalition is playing the same game that the PPP played when it was in office. When is government going to act in the best interests of people and the nation at large instead of attaching politics and race to everything? And when are the words of the President going to be backed up by substance rather than remain in the realms of rhetoric. Recently the President in defending the employment of persons with army affiliation stated that they too are entitled to rights just like everybody else. Yet here we have it; pandits from the Guyana Central Arya Samaj not apparently being entitled to rights just like all others of their ilk. Mr President please intervene to ensure that these pandits are dealt with fairly so that your words do not reflect discrimination of any sort.
Dr. Vishnu Bandhu
President
Guyana Central Arya Samaj

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