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Hindus and Christians gun for each other in Trinidad and Tobago

J Sesha Sai in Port of Spain

Tension seems to be building up in the tiny island republic of Trinadad and Tobago with a prominent Hindu leader declaring 'war' against the Christian community.

Blasting the Christians for their 'aggressive conversion designs', Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha secretary general Satnarayan Maharaj had said, "Hindus will no longer be charitable or passive in their dealing with these groups. Don't let them come to your doorstep. Do not let them into your house. Tell them to get out. Throw them out of the villages. Don't offer any hospitality.''

Nearly 16,000 kilometres away from India, where the Trinadad and Tobago Hindus hail from, and more than 150 years after the first batch of Hindus landed in Port of Spain as indentured labourers, the scene seems no different from the one in their ancestral homeland. Conversion seems to be the cause of the cauldron here too, with the likes of Maharaj running a campaign against the "evil designs''.

"Who will take it lying down if these Christians distribute pamphlets denigrating Hindu gods when mourners are cremating their dear ones? One such incident happened in Mosquito Creek in south Trinidad, where the people who brought the 'message of Jesus' were beaten up... This incident happened two months ago... On Diwali day last year, Christian groups went from house to house, calling a Hindu goddess prostitute,'' Maharaj told Rediff On The NeT.

Warning of a "social earthquake'' if the "detractors of Hinduism continue to ride roughshod over them'', he said what was happening was a conspiracy to destabilise Trinidad and Tobago. Asked how the situation compares with the one in India, he said, "The same thing is happening there. The Western media does not give the complete picture. They don't give the Hindu perspective at all. However, in Trinidad and Tobago, we are more aggressive because we are a minority, though 40 per cent of the population has Indian roots only 25 per cent are Hindus. What is more, we are surrounded by 700 million Christians (referring to South America, North America and the Caribbean)... It is a miracle that even after 150 years (after the first group of Indians arrived here), we can still find Hindus in Trinidad and Tobago. It is a miracle that we have a Hindu prime minister (i).''

Asked if the Hindu prime minister's presence has triggered friction and if the militant Hindu groups feel emboldened, Maharaj said, "To make such statements would be begging the issue. The incidents have been sparked by the aggressive conversion drives of some Afro-Christian groups. Is Atal Bihari Vajapayee the prime minister of Indonesia that there have been anti-Christian attacks there? And in Pakistan? Tension has been building up as the Christian groups have stepped their campaign. The Western media carries out their campaign. Vajpayee is there (in India). Pande is here.''

Maharaj also said his SDMS has no ties with the Sangh Parivar. "We interact with them and exchange ideas.''

The Congress and its president Sonia Gandhi are unnecessarily blaming the Sangh Parivar for the anti-Christian attacks back in India, he feels. "Didn't they send in troops to the North-East to end militancy? In the North-East, they are not only trying to convert people, but also seek independence from India... The Congress is now trying to reap political mileage by denigrating the Vajpayee government... Rapes, murders...There is nothing earth-shattering about such anti-Christian attacks. Such attacks have taken place elsewhere, in other countries... But what is shocking is the Christians in India are asking the US to intervene! I can't understand how an Australian can live in India for so many years and preach .... You cannot do that here... You need permission to preach even in the US.''

A leading Hindu advocate in Port of Spain too was critical of the evangelical groups. "They think you are not civilised until you embrace Christianity. They think Hindus are like the African tribals who need to be exposed to civilisation.''

However, a leading woman executive in the capital blamed politics for the situation. "I am a Hindu from India. But I have several Christian friends.''

A leading businessman agreed. "Such things are raked up during elections, and forgotten.... Only a handful of people are kicking up the controversy.''

If that is so, why has a war been declared against the entire community? "Our war is only against Afro-Christian evangelists. Not Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Seventh-day Adventists and all such groups which members of the Inter-Religious Organisation, which is a secular outfit,'' said Maharaj, adding that several Chrisitians felt "we reacted too violently''.

Roman Catholic Archbishop Anthony Pantin had given a new twist to the controversy with his statement that there was no need for confrontation between the SDMS and the Thusia Seventh-day Adventist Church of Morvant which is allegedly behind the Christian 'aggression'.

Describing the incidents as very disturbing, Pantin had said this would not solve their differences.

However, Thusian minister Noel Emmanuel Jack had accused the government of promoting Hindu religion. "The Church is justified in its condemnation of Hinduism. We have a Hindu government that is trying to include a part of Hindu culture in everything. It is important to be aware of the immoralities of Hinduism.''

He admitted, according to reports in the local media, that his organisation had distributed pamphlets bearing titles like, 'The Hindu scriptures show Shiva to be an immoral and deranged vagrant' and 'How Tantric sex worship to MahaKali promotes adultery, incest and sex orgies as Hindu religious practice'.

"Our concern is with the salvation of Hindus. The pamphlets show the gross contradiction in Hindu scriptures. Thusians do believe that Hinduism is pagan. We are the only ones fighting against Hinduism in a scholarly and intellectual way,'' he had told the local Sunday Guardian newspaper. Jack and Pentin were unavailable for comment.

"Who are they to make such statements? We should have the freedom to practise the religion we like,'' shot back the principal of a school in Caratichaima in central Trinidad.

The principal was equally critical of statements blaming the present 'Hindu' government for violence. "Hindu PM?'' he roared. "This is a racial press. They never called anyone a Christian PM. Why should they...''

Blasting the disturbing trend, Father Michel Devertenil said, "In India, Hindus are against it. Vajpayee has condemned the incidents. One of the allegation is that his government is not doing enough to protect minorities. I do not support it. There is a fault on the other side (Christians) too. Their aggressive tradition of conversions is equally responsible for the sorry state of affairs.

"Some branches of Christians are likely to be aggressive -- they think that 'message of Jesus' implies that everybody should be converted. The official Roman Catholic Church is against it.''

Asked if the Pope had himself had not made a statement in Mexico recently favouring conversions, he said, "He said people are to be converted... True co-existence should be the essence of modern life. We should respect others' viewpoint when they do not see the 'message of Jesus'. Most Christians disapprove of the aggressive campaign.''

To end the conversions, Maharaj felt that Trinidad and Tobago's blasphemy laws should be amended. "The centuries old British law at present protects only Christians. Not Hindus. We have submitted a memorandum demanding equal protection laws for Hindus.''

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