(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 last 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.”
He said, “I don’t know why she did it, and unless she tells us why she did it, that puts us at a disadvantage. But in Hindu tradition, one who is not on par with another one must take cognisance of that fact, otherwise one would never rise up materially or spiritually.”
Ravi Ji told the Express that bowing to the feet of another is a central part of Hindu tradition, and not about subservience.
“First, it is a tradition that is about respect for an elder. The Opposition Leader went far beyond what was the truth when he suggested that the Prime Minister kissed the feet of the president.That suggests to me that Mr Rowley was exaggerating, and it was kind of politically injected. It has nothing to do with the correct appreciation of the Hindu tradition of bowing to one’s feet.
“I was a little surprised by Mr Rowley’s statement. I know he speaks strongly, but I did not think he would misconstrue a tradition which is so prevalent in a large number of Trinidad and Tobago homes, and over which he aspires to rule or administrate.”
Dumas, however, said last night: “If I were the Prime Minister, I would not have done that. She did that in the context of a Hindu custom to show respect for one’s elders, and I understand that. But the Prime Minister did not go to India as a Hindu. She went as Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, representing everybody, including Hindus.
“I can’t think, quite frankly, of any previous example of a head of Government doing something like that in public.
It may have happened at some point in some country or the other. I don’t know. But I cannot think of anything like this happening before.
“As far as I am concerned, it ought not to have happened. I know there are people here who are of Indian origin who are Hindus, who would think it’s a good thing and that she was showing great respect, etc. I understand all that, but my simple point is she was in India as the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, and the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, whoever it is, cannot show himself or herself to be in an inferior position to the head of state or government of the country he or she is visiting. That is a no-no.”
Dumas said he was very taken aback when he saw this had happened.
Asked whether Persad-Bissessar should therefore apologise, Dumas said: “I don’t think she will. It ought not to have happened at all. I have no doubt there are a number of people in Trinidad and Tobago who think it was a good thing.
“To me, it was not a good thing. I saw reports in the newspapers here of Indian newspapers criticising the gesture.
If the Indian newspapers are criticising the gesture; you would understand that the people of India were not only surprised but upset. What do you leave for the people of Trinidad and Tobago who she was representing?”
