(Trinidad Express) There was nothing wrong with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar touching the feet of India President Pratibha Devisingh Patil because it was in keeping with religious tradition.
This according to leader of the Hindu Prachar Kendra Ravindranath Maharaj (Ravi Ji) and former head of the Inter-Religious Organisation pundit Bramdeo Maharaj.
Former ambassador Reginald Dumas, however, disagrees. He said on Thursday night that it ought not to have happened.
Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley had criticised Persad-Bissessar for the act, which she performed during her recent visit to India.
He described it as an act of “ultimate subservient of superiority and inferiority being demonstrated”.
Speaking at a public meeting at the Febeau Open Bible Church in San Juan on Tuesday night, Rowley said, “I am a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, and I take umbrage at my Prime Minister going to anybody’s country and kissing any office-holder’s foot”.
Rowley’s statement found support with some, and condemned by others commenting on social networking sites yesterday.
Rowley’s view was described as religious intolerance by some readers.
Others said Persad-Bissessar had broken the rules of international protocol and embarrassed the country.
But Pundit Maharaj said, “It has to be acknowledged that India is a greater power than this country, and that (Persad-Bissessar’s action) falls in line with the Hindu tradition.”
He added, “India is much more self-sufficient, and we are still scrunting in that regard, so the touching of the feet of the president could be an acknowledgement of the greatness of India as compared to T&T.”
Maharaj said Persad-Bissessar may have seen the president as a “greater personality”.
“One of the hallmarks of greatness is humility. We have to acknowledge greatness. So from that point of view, I don’t see anything wrong about it if we take it from a spiritual point of view.”
