THE annual attack and display of violence on a Place of worship in Alexander Village is always most sickening and disturbing to the human psyche.

I find it strange that in a country like ours, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious that a set of people, mostly young people of a particular ethnic profile would descend to desecrate the mandir.  They use handmade bombs and illegal firecrackers, some of which explode as a small dynamite, and destructive according to its size. Put together it could be deadly. Further, as I wrote in the press earlier, people could seek revenge and partake in tit for tat. It could also give ideas to others bent of destructiveness to be just so. This is not good for us.

There are Christian Churches nearby and a Masjid (Muslim place of worship), but no desecration or destruction is targeted on them. This has to be a profound eye pass, a direct insult to the Hindu community, which should not be tolerated in the least.  In previous letters I suggested that if the authorities could not provide requisite protection, then the worshippers of Sanatan Dharm is bound to defend them. I suggested also that they set up a vigilant set of eyes to watch for infidels who wish to insult and harm them.

I am happy that the Hon. Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Clement Rohee has taken the initiative to move into the area to assuage the Hindu brothers and sisters. I wonder though how it would have been had the police secreted themselves, set up a dragnet in the area, disguised, and then apprehended the culprits, after which they go where they should for a long time for desecration of a house of worship.

As a Muslim, I know we are commanded by God Almighty (ALLAH) to protect the Places of worship of all peoples. As an injunction to all Muslims, the Holy Quran says: “Had it not been for Islam, there would have been pulled down, mosques, synagogues, churches and cloisters, Where God’s name is much remembered.” I see this as an order from God, that Muslims must not only be dynamic in protecting their places of worship, but also all places of worship and conscience, even “cloisters,” as it describes those places where people gather for worship, e.g. a Mandir.

Let us all as Guyanese, celebrate the fact that all peoples in this blessed country are free to worship as they please, and free to change religions if they so desire. No one is ever targeted politically or any means because of their religious faith, except for the miscreants and recalcitrant who have been attacking the Alexander Village Mandir. 

It is good this will now end. I am only sorry that the culprits could not be punished according to law.
ROSHAN KHAN