Dear Editor,
We would like to congratulate President Granger and Prime Minister-elect Moses Nagamootoo and wish them well in the gigantic task of reconstruction and inclusive governance. Peace, stability, prosperity, real democracy and human progress now have the best opportunity to flourish since Independence in 1966. A long period of one party rule, whether for 28 or 23 years, must be a thing of the past.
Since the election is over, we would like to unreservedly condemn the attacks on Swami Aksharananda ji waged by Mr Frederick Kissoon and to a lesser extent by Mr Khemraj Ramjattan in the period preceding national election. Both of them skirted the substantive issues raised by Swami ji who, totally disinterested in the outcome of electoral politics, power and privileges, is a voice of conscience in the national interest. This much is clear from his recent and historical positions and actions. Yet it is amazing that Swami ji, a man who has been wearing the same pair of sandals for several years now and whose collective material belongings fit in a single travelling hand-luggage bag, is able to capture the imagination of the masses by his selfless actions and erudite speaking and writing. He preaches what he practises and has led an exemplary and chaste lifestyle.
The attacks began when Swami ji critiqued Mr Kemraj Ramjattan, the AFC leader, for advocating that Guyanese “move beyond the history of the PNC” (SN, May 3). Yet Mr Ramjattan’s position that he “will never become enslaved by history” is patently untenable for the simple reason that it is essentially an “unconditional amnesty” to the PNC. Instead of addressing the substantive issues raised by Swami ji, Mr Ramrattan wrote in Kissoon-like manner: “Swamiji’s thesis of only wanting East Indians to remember the ugly days of PNC has an inherent danger in it. It is a vision of vengeance rather than a state of forgiveness.” He continued: “Disappointingly, Swami ji reminds me of a cynical young man rather than the local sage.” Swami Aksharananda has never written anywhere that he wanted only East Indians to remember the ugly days of PNC, nor does he claim to be a sage. It is no secret that Swami ji has been a leading voice for a peace and reconciliation commission to address political injustices meted out to all ethnic groups so that the country can heal and move forward. It was none other than Swami ji who advised: “Hindus must be free to support any political party of their choice” (SN, February 24, 2001). It is sad indeed that a top leader of the AFC could be so shortsighted and insulting to a respected Hindu leader and scholar.
Mr Kissoon grounds his arguments in wild speculations and beliefs. He resorts to character assassination: “I do not recognize Aksharananda as achieving the status of a Swami. I know him as Dr Oudaipaul Singh. I have never enquired about his Swami status because I believed and still do that it is self-appointed” (SN, April 30). For his information, Dr Oudaipaul Singh is an ordained swami. We doubt not that Mr Kissoon and his family have been subjected to political victimization, but that does not give him licence to label Indian scholars whom he disagrees with, racists and supremacists (KN, May 9). For several years now, Swami Aksharananda has organized and led an annual blood collection drive, the largest such endeavour in the history of Guyana, so that all Guyanese, irrespective of race or religion, can be beneficiaries. How on earth can such a man be deemed a racist and an Indian supremacist? It is a great shame that year after year such an event goes largely unnoticed by the media – and Mr Kissoon.
There are few, if any, who have done so much for his country and yet who remain as unassuming as Swami Aksharananda. As a key figure in Dr Rodney’s WPA, he bravely fought against the oppression of the PNC, but his role has been sidelined by manipulators of that critical period of our history. Along with others, he vigorously opposed the 1978 Referendum Bill. His opposition cosy him his teaching job. During the 1980 treason trial, Swami’s efforts to defend the accused almost cost him his life when a man with a dagger attacked him in his classroom at the Leonora Secondary School. In a separate incident, he was beaten and thrown in a muddy drain by certain ‘pandits’ of the then Pandits’ Council because of his protest action. Swami ji was jailed for leading protest marches after Dr Rodney was assassinated. He chained himself to Guyana’s parliament to protest injustice, where he was joined by Mr Eusi Kwayana and Dr George Lamming who was visiting Guyana. In recent times, Swami Aksharananda created the prestigious, not-for-profit, Saraswati Vidya Niketan (SVN), which is one of the most successful high schools in Guyana today. He is the Principal of SVN but he does not take a salary. Swami Aksharananda has facilitated scholarships for top SVN students to US institutions. What lasting public service have his critics given?
When the country was full of tension on Thursday afternoon (May 14) owing to Gecom’s delay in declaring the winner, it was Swami Aksharananda who issued the first noteworthy call on the ruling party to accept that it had lost the election. His statement was published online on Stabroek News website around 1.30 pm with the caption ‘Swami Aksharananda calls on PPP/C to concede elections.’ He was praised by several online bloggers on the side of the APNU-AFC but vilified by PPP supporters. Most interestingly, when he urged Gecom the following day to allow the recounting of the 22 ballot boxes called into question by the PPP in order to “remove these doubts once and for all,” those who previously praised him lambasted him. Such sudden and sharp swings in ethnic opinion have been a mainstay of Guyana’s ethnically divisive political landscape; we can only hope that the coalition victory ushers in its death knell. On our part, we have known Swami Aksharananda for a long time, and categorically say that his moral compass is moved neither by praise nor condemnation as he works for the wellbeing of all.
According to the Bhagavad Gita (for example, III.20), the central idea of lokasangraha − working for the welfare of the society − is important in a Hindu’s effort for salvation. Swamis are required to take a stand on issues of societal importance. All the great Swamis, including Adi Shankara, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Dayananda Saraswati down to Swami Purnananda in Guyana, have fearlessly stood up against injustice and inequity. In Guyana, Swami Purnananda, the founder of the Cove and John Ashram, was very vocal on issues of national interest. He was very much maligned but never wavered, for he understood his societal role. It is shocking that the current Guyanese Swamis in the lineage of Swami Purnananda seems to practise only mauna (silence) devoid of any public stance on matters of national interest. Silence is the standard expected of Guyanese politicians (and pandits), but it is dangerous and alien to Sanatana Dharma. We can only agree with Mr Yesu Persaud, a distinguished son of Guyana: “He [Swami Aksharananda] is a very, very exceptional human being.”
Yours faithfully,
Somdat Mahabir
Ramesh Gampat
