Hindu community facing adverse social conditions and rising poverty

Dear Editor,

The Guyanese Hindu community is increasingly being marginalized.  The community is facing a deepening social crisis since the change in political administration in August 2020. Almost all the Hindus voted for the PPP, yet the community has no one championing or advocating for their interests. The regular respected and well-known Hindu letter writers (they know who they are) are not writing about the predicament of the Hindus. They defend the government’s track record and go to great lengths to critique those who chastise the government, but they write nothing on the challenges, like social issues and rising poverty, facing the community.

Hindus are in a most vulnerable state not dissimilar from their pioneering ancestors during the period of indentureship and British colonial rule.  In some aspects, they are worse off today than under colonial rule and the 33 years tenure of the PNC. The PPP’s 33 years tenure have not significantly improved their overall lifestyle.  Some scholars I interacted with say Hindus are worse off under the PPP than under the PNC.

Sincerely,

Hemwatie Churaman