Maha Sabha boss bans Kamla over hijab remarks
(Trinidad Guardian) Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar will “pay a hell of a price” for her comments on the issue of on-the-job trainee Nafisah Nakihd being disallowed from wearing her hijab at the Lakshmi Girls’ Hindu College in St Augustine.
This was the threat from Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha secretary general Satnarayan Maharaj on Friday, as he banned Persad-Bissessar from the school’s compound.
As an immediate punishment for her comments, Maharaj also revoked the invitation given to PersadBissessar to deliver the feature address at Lakshmi Girls’ Hindu College for its upcoming Indian Arrival Day function. He also warned that PersadBissessar will pay a political price in time to come during an interview on his organisation’s TV Jaagriti on Friday.
A clip of that interview was later shared on social media sites.
On Monday, Nakhid was told she could not wear her hijab on the Lakshmi Girls’ compound if she were accepted to do her training there. She subsequently chose to leave the compound, noting she felt discriminated against as a devout Muslim. Maharaj has countered that anyone who is accepted to teach at the school has to conform with its code of conduct, which does not allow hijabs to be worn because it is a religious symbol not affiliated to Hinduism.
The Ministry of Education, agreeing the decision by the school board seemed discriminatory, has since referred the matter to the courts for a ruling.
On Wednesday, PersadBissessar joined the chorus of condemnation over the issue and released a statement urging the school’s board to reconsider its decision, and also called on the Minister of Education and Attorney General Kamla Persad-Bissessar
to move swiftly to have the matter resolved.
Maharaj on Friday took Persad-Bissessar to task for her comments.
“Mrs Kamla PersadBissessar, I want to tell you that we are going to free up the Hindu vote. Another thing I want to tell you Kamla, we sent you an invitation for our Indian Arrival Day programme on Wednesday at Lakshmi College, you are due to talk but I want to tell you now I have revoked that invitation, you are not welcome on our compound. Kamla Persad-Bissessar you are not welcome on our compound,” Maharaj said.