THE Hindu leadership of Guyana, having seemingly lost its will and way, may now be embarking on a course to find its religious bearing. But, can such a leadership, believed to be divided at all levels, find a common, moral ground on which it can now even timidly try to preserve and protect our great religion? Almost four months after I publicly condemned the desecration of Diwali, the sacred Hindu festival of lights heralding the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil, our Hindu leaders seem to have finally risen from their deep slumber, like Kumkarran of Bhagwat Gita fame. Or perhaps, like Lord Rama, they were in exile and only now returned.
Mine was a lone voice and not even a meek whimper was heard from the entire Hindu leadership when I condemned the 2009 Diwali Night blasphemous ‘Glow Party’ at Duke Lodge. Of course, the party was held by non-Hindus and our religion was desecrated on Hindu’s most religious night.
I mentioned then that the Muslims as well as Christians would never allow such desecration of their religion. Try hosting such a party on the night of Eid-ul-Adha or Good Friday and see what happens.
Not even one Hindu leader saw it fit to engage in the moral and decent act of publicly condemning the defilement of our great religion especially by non-Hindus on a night we venerated God. The silence was deafening whilst our hypocritical leaders slept.
Now, this same Hindu leadership which conveniently lost its voice in the past, awakened, recently told us through the media “our festivals must be respected.” O’ what hypocrisy!!!
Wasn’t it the same respect I clamoured for when I detected the planned desecration of our religion by Duke Lodge? Am I to believe that there has been a change of heart in the way our Hindu leaders now behave? Have these leaders truly represented Hindus or were they not more concerned with condemning each other and pushing their own, divided agendas?
There is no central Hindu organization in Guyana. Rather, there are several organizations claiming to represent Hindus. The egoistic leaders of these organizations are more concerned about advancing themselves (and business and political interests) instead of promoting and protecting their religion.
I am an ordinary Hindu and unlike the entire hypocritically pious Hindu leadership of our country, I have not lost the morality and decency to condemn acts aimed at the desecration of our great religion.
Why is it that this so-called leadership not lobby government for outlawing such vulgar shows on Hindu sacred days as Diwali and Phagwah? Afterall, it is illegal for Hindus and Moslems to engage in any desecratory act on Christians’ Good Friday.
Come on, Hindu leadership of Guyana, unite and show your cojones (courage) now or continue your slumber forever.