CHAIRMAN of the Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo Community Policing Group (CPG), Mr. Shaheed Ahmad has alleged that he is being victimised by a member of the Alliance For Change (AFC) for religious reasons.

He told the Guyana Chronicle, by telephone yesterday that approximately five weeks ago; he received a call from the police asking him to help deal with a noise nuisance complaint.
Ahmad said he went, immediately, to address the situation in which the Tuschen Hindu Temple had complained that, in the middle of their service, loud and very vulgar music, from a house not far away, was affecting the proceedings.
It was not the first such complaint from the home of Mr. Asgar Ali, who was once a member of the CPG, but was relieved of his duties after many instances of bad behaviour.
Ahmad said he went to the house and, acting on orders from the police, spoke to Ali, asking him to lower the sound of the music which seemed to be at its maximum volume.
Not pleased
However, Ali was not pleased about the request and hurled insults at him, calling him a ‘Hindu Dog’, Ahmad said.
The Chairman said two officials of the temple as well as other members accompanied him to the Police Station where they lodged another complaint and, when Ali was arrested, he made several accusations against Ahmad as well.
Ahmad said shortly after his arrest and being put on a bench in the station, Ali was seen leaving the precinct, having been put on bail.
But Ali has continued to, constantly, shout abuses at members of the church during their praying time, Ahmad lamented.
He recalled that, on the day police held Ali, an AFC member of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region 3 (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara), a friend of latter was seen speaking to policemen in the station about the matter.
Ahmad said the same AFC member spoke to him in the police station yard, claiming Ali’s problem is the result of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) trying to create a rift between the Muslim and Hindu communities.
The Chairman said he was appalled at what he heard and pointed out that both he and Ali are Muslims and it is not a case of him siding with the Hindus but simply dealing with the noise nuisance which affects the people.
Ahmad emphasised: “I am a Muslim and as the Chairman of the Tuschen Policing Group, I went to the rescue of those Hindu people who were in need at the time.”
Had issues
In relation to Ali’s removal from the CPG, Ahmad said, for quite some time, the former and the members of the temple have had issues.
Ali also went on the Justice for All programme and complained to the host, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Parliamentarian, Mr. Jaipaul Sharma about his situation, causing the latter to visit Ali’s house and they were seen videotaping the temple, but not speaking to any of its officials although, subsequently, ‘bad-talking’ them.
Ahmad denied that he verbally abused Ali, telling this newspaper: “I am a Muslim brother just as Mr. Ali. Ali is being disrespectful by saying he is victimised by those Hindu people and myself.”
“The PPP/C has nothing to do with religious organisations in the community and it is utterly ridiculous to say that Ali is a victim of a PPP/C set-up,” Ahmad maintained.
He said an AFC member of the RDC had threatened to see that he is removed from the CPG although he has done nothing wrong but acted in accordance with the duties he was sworn to perform.
Administrator of the CPGs countrywide, Mr. David Glasgow explained that members of a grouping have to take a vote to remove a person from a post.
He said the members have to sit, discuss and make that decision together, as the power to expel a person lies within the group itself and not through outside intervention.