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Condemn attack on Pandit Deodat Persaud 

Jan 29, 2024 Letters

Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – A social media ad hominem attack on young Pandit Deodat Persaud has been brought to my attention. Pandit Deodat’s alleged crime was calling for a bigger increase in pension in the 2024 budget. He used social media for his advocacy. I am not on social media. Therefore, the personality attack on this talented grass roots oriented hard working youngster was not accessible to me. As made available to me, the language used to describe the gentleman pandit is repugnant and must be condemned. It is hate speech that belongs to the dustbin.

I do not know Pandit personally although we met in India and Guyana a few times at conferences pertaining to the Indian diaspora and exchanged ideas on volunteerism, Indian culture, and Hinduism. He is a person of solid character. He has had a reputation of performing great, voluntary social work and organizing seminars and conferences. He helped me to organize  several lectures on the 100th anniversary of the end of recruitment of Indian indentureship in 2017 and a few activities thereafter.

He has agreed to help organize a conference on social problems. I commend his voluntary work and leadership among youths and in engaging in activities to help people in general. He has done outstanding work on suicide prevention, domestic violence, and aiding the aged. And he has helped to organize the annual Indian Arrival Day celebrations going back several years. He was honored for his community involvement and also earned scholarships or grants for studies or visits abroad. To those who attacked Pandit Deodat, what have you contributed to society?

It is not anti-government or harmful to advocate for or champion a larger increase in pension or for any other worthy cause. I have done so all the time throughout my life where ever I lived. In a democracy, certainly in USA, advocacy and lobbying for a cause are welcome by politicians. This is how change comes about, and this is how budget allocation for causes get increased. Why would anyone want to attack such an altruistic person or those of us who make a case for a greater increase in pension or social causes! The pensioners built this country. We owe a debt of gratitude to them. They should receive a livable pension.

To attack an advocate for higher pension with slanderous comments and lifestyle innuendos is deeply troubling and must be condemned. They do not belong in a civilized society in this modern period. It is meant to suppress and or censor free speech and to discourage people from offering an independent view of the budget or any government’s policy. Neutral, objective commentaries on the budget and on any government’s policies should be applauded not attacked. They help government to understand the public attitude on policies and to deliver better governance. Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and must be protected and government must not allow its trampling.

Those who are non-conformist to government positions should not be the victim of slander and innuendos. They should not be attacked by supporters of any political party. It is pretty mind-boggling that parliamentarians and other politicians have not come out to condemn the damaging attack on Pandit Deodat Persaud and generally on anyone who posits a view different from government or a party. It is the duty of the government and parliament to condemn all hate speech regardless of its source and party affiliation.

Yours sincerely,

Vishnu Bisram 

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