Jagdeo tells Guyanese Queens crowd “there is an assault on people of Indian origin” in Guyana and calls on spirit of community to defend “our people”.
During a short speech at the open air event, Mr. Jagdeo told the crowd of mostly Indo-Guyanese migrants, that there is currently an assault on Guyanese of Indian origin in Guyana and there is also an assault on Guyanese who support the PPP.
Opposition Leader and Former President Bharrat Jagdeo, attempted to drum up support for his party during a Guyana family fun day event in Queens, New York over the weekend.
During a short speech at the open air event, Mr. Jagdeo told the crowd of mostly Indo-Guyanese migrants, that there is currently an assault on Guyanese of Indian origin in Guyana and there is also an assault on Guyanese who support the PPP.
A mobile video recording of the speech has been published on Youtube and other social media platforms.
Dressed in a green shirt, the Opposition Leader painted a gloomy picture on Guyana as he encouraged community work.
He said “it is good to see so many of you out here and that you keep the spirit of our community alive. This spirit is essential here for our people to make progress but it is the same spirit that we need back in Guyana now. A spirit of community to ensure that we defend our people, through these dark times”.
“Most of you are familiar with what is taking place at home now. There is an assault on our democracy. There is an assault on people of Indian origin. There is an assault of supporters of the PPP. What we thought would never return to Guyana, in just one short year, has returned with full force and even worse in some regards than the Burnham era. From snatching people’s land that have transport to the passage of new laws”, Jagdeo said.
He went on to tell the Queens gathering that the government has introduced increase in taxes that target the rural poor people of Guyana, “and you know who live in the rural areas. It is mainly our supporters”.
Jagdeo has been accused in the past of attempting to drum up racial hostility in Guyana. He was charged privately last year for statements he made during a PPP rally at Babu John.
Many political observers have expressed no surprise over his latest speech and its tone and believe it is part of Jagdeo and the PPP’s efforts to rally a section of its supporters against the current government government. One political observer has described his new efforts as “dangerous”.
Jagdeo also promised the Queens crowd that “we are going to take back Guyana. We will take it back from these people”.