Political campaigning at Diwali programme sparks attack against AFC member
October 25, 2011 | By KNews | Filed Under News
Not even the religious festival of Diwali could have escaped the election spin-off. The entire East Canje
Berbice leg of the Diwali celebrations held on Sunday evening at the Rose Hall Estate Community Ground in Canefield, Canje, ended in an uproar.
In the end, a woman hit Alliance for Change (AFC) member, Attorney- at- Law, Charrandass Persaud, in the face after he shouted to Minister Ashni Singh on the stage to stop talking politics.
The event was attended by Minister Ashni Singh, Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud and his daughter, as well as the Region Six Chairman.
A review of the recording revealed that Minister Dr Ashni Singh actually said, “Embrace all lessons in the religious texts as you exercise this very important democratic franchise come November 28.
“We ask you to be deliberate in your judgments, to consider the track records of the parties presenting themselves before you; to analyze the programmes they outline and make a careful judgment as to who you believe is best to run our country.
“You Berbicians know better than anybody else. The work we had to do since 1992 to rebuild this country. I call on you to bare these lessons.”
He then thanked the members of the public for supporting the PPP and the government. He asked the crowed for their continued support, inspiration and prayers.
“Today the challenges are different. The country, having been rebuilt and the foundations laid, the challenges to make our country the prosperous place. This effort requires the right government…”
It was at this point where Mr Persaud could be heard saying, “Talk Diwali! Not politics! Stop the politics! Talk Diwali!” Minister Singh continued but hurriedly ended the speech.
Some persons opined that Mr Persaud, even though he was angry and very rightly so, should have dealt differently with the matter, while others said that the occasion, being a religious one, should not have been laced with political overtones about the elections and governments.
When contacted, Mr Persaud said that he became irate after Dr Singh was on the stage and urging the crowd to “vote PPP” and saying, “I bring you greetings from the President and incoming President, Donald Ramotar”.
“Right away, he went on to talk about the good things the PPP is doing and even asked the people to give them another term in office,” Persaud told Kaieteur News.
Persaud said that he became angry and shouted out to Dr Singh on stage. “I yelled out, ‘don’t talk politics; talk religion’, and this lady beside me cuff me in my face. It wasn’t a cuff that hurt.”
Persaud said that Singh quickly concluded the political message on the stage. “Right away, he cut his speech off and I walked away”. He said that another man might have retaliated against the woman but he walked quietly away.
He alleged that Regional Chairman of Region Six, Zulfikar Mustapha, who was sitting on stage, then urged someone from the crowd to slap Persaud.
Persaud also alleged that`
AFC Member, Mr Charrandass Persaud
Mr Mustapha came down and went up to him and asked him if he did not know it was his wife that just hit him.
Persaud also claimed that Mustapha made a threat against him.
“You like talk? I gon shut you up,” he quoted Mustapha as saying. He said Mustapha reported the matter to Sergeant Diagram of the Police station.
When contacted, Mr. Mustapha doubted ever meeting Persuade in the crowd or making any threats against him.
“I just asked him [from the stage] if that is the training he get from his party. Charrandass is a wicked man if he said that I made threats against him. Something wrong to him; he’s a wicked man. I never talk to him,” Mustapha said late Sunday evening.
“I said aloud ‘That is what AFC teach you? To assault ladies? I didn’t even know which women knock him,” Chairman said.
He further added that they will be consulting their legal teams about the matter.
Persuade is contending that “since I came on board with the AFC, their whole inside a churn.”
Organizer of the event, Mr. Bhopal Jargon, when contacted, said that he invited the Minister because he [the Minister] holds a central position on the Guyana Hindu Dharma Sabha. He denied knowing of a woman punching Mr. Persuade in the face.
“I heard he was shouting but I couldn’t understand what he speaking, [I] wasn’t aware that he was punched, but I know there was a little commotion where he was,” Jargon said.
He said that all Minister Singh told the crowd was that an important period was coming up next month and that everybody should use their senses to vote. “I didn’t hear him said anything about the PPP.
“Minister Ashni Singh is a member of the Central Committee of Dharma Sabha. He also represents the government.”
When asked whether politics belonged at such a religious event, the organizer said, “I always say politics and religion should come hand in hand, and maybe he was using an opportunity as a politician to say something about the government he represents. I don’t agree for politics to dominate the occasion but I have not seen the dominance of politics in the occasion.
“The fact that little politics was mentioned in the event, I can’t stifle my conscience. Most of the members that spoke were members of the PPP and Dharma Sabha as well. There was no restriction for politics to be said on the floor.”
October 25, 2011 | By KNews | Filed Under News
Not even the religious festival of Diwali could have escaped the election spin-off. The entire East Canje
Berbice leg of the Diwali celebrations held on Sunday evening at the Rose Hall Estate Community Ground in Canefield, Canje, ended in an uproar.
In the end, a woman hit Alliance for Change (AFC) member, Attorney- at- Law, Charrandass Persaud, in the face after he shouted to Minister Ashni Singh on the stage to stop talking politics.
The event was attended by Minister Ashni Singh, Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud and his daughter, as well as the Region Six Chairman.
A review of the recording revealed that Minister Dr Ashni Singh actually said, “Embrace all lessons in the religious texts as you exercise this very important democratic franchise come November 28.
“We ask you to be deliberate in your judgments, to consider the track records of the parties presenting themselves before you; to analyze the programmes they outline and make a careful judgment as to who you believe is best to run our country.
“You Berbicians know better than anybody else. The work we had to do since 1992 to rebuild this country. I call on you to bare these lessons.”
He then thanked the members of the public for supporting the PPP and the government. He asked the crowed for their continued support, inspiration and prayers.
“Today the challenges are different. The country, having been rebuilt and the foundations laid, the challenges to make our country the prosperous place. This effort requires the right government…”
It was at this point where Mr Persaud could be heard saying, “Talk Diwali! Not politics! Stop the politics! Talk Diwali!” Minister Singh continued but hurriedly ended the speech.
Some persons opined that Mr Persaud, even though he was angry and very rightly so, should have dealt differently with the matter, while others said that the occasion, being a religious one, should not have been laced with political overtones about the elections and governments.
When contacted, Mr Persaud said that he became irate after Dr Singh was on the stage and urging the crowd to “vote PPP” and saying, “I bring you greetings from the President and incoming President, Donald Ramotar”.
“Right away, he went on to talk about the good things the PPP is doing and even asked the people to give them another term in office,” Persaud told Kaieteur News.
Persaud said that he became angry and shouted out to Dr Singh on stage. “I yelled out, ‘don’t talk politics; talk religion’, and this lady beside me cuff me in my face. It wasn’t a cuff that hurt.”
Persaud said that Singh quickly concluded the political message on the stage. “Right away, he cut his speech off and I walked away”. He said that another man might have retaliated against the woman but he walked quietly away.
He alleged that Regional Chairman of Region Six, Zulfikar Mustapha, who was sitting on stage, then urged someone from the crowd to slap Persaud.
Persaud also alleged that`
AFC Member, Mr Charrandass Persaud
Mr Mustapha came down and went up to him and asked him if he did not know it was his wife that just hit him.
Persaud also claimed that Mustapha made a threat against him.
“You like talk? I gon shut you up,” he quoted Mustapha as saying. He said Mustapha reported the matter to Sergeant Diagram of the Police station.
When contacted, Mr. Mustapha doubted ever meeting Persuade in the crowd or making any threats against him.
“I just asked him [from the stage] if that is the training he get from his party. Charrandass is a wicked man if he said that I made threats against him. Something wrong to him; he’s a wicked man. I never talk to him,” Mustapha said late Sunday evening.
“I said aloud ‘That is what AFC teach you? To assault ladies? I didn’t even know which women knock him,” Chairman said.
He further added that they will be consulting their legal teams about the matter.
Persuade is contending that “since I came on board with the AFC, their whole inside a churn.”
Organizer of the event, Mr. Bhopal Jargon, when contacted, said that he invited the Minister because he [the Minister] holds a central position on the Guyana Hindu Dharma Sabha. He denied knowing of a woman punching Mr. Persuade in the face.
“I heard he was shouting but I couldn’t understand what he speaking, [I] wasn’t aware that he was punched, but I know there was a little commotion where he was,” Jargon said.
He said that all Minister Singh told the crowd was that an important period was coming up next month and that everybody should use their senses to vote. “I didn’t hear him said anything about the PPP.
“Minister Ashni Singh is a member of the Central Committee of Dharma Sabha. He also represents the government.”
When asked whether politics belonged at such a religious event, the organizer said, “I always say politics and religion should come hand in hand, and maybe he was using an opportunity as a politician to say something about the government he represents. I don’t agree for politics to dominate the occasion but I have not seen the dominance of politics in the occasion.
“The fact that little politics was mentioned in the event, I can’t stifle my conscience. Most of the members that spoke were members of the PPP and Dharma Sabha as well. There was no restriction for politics to be said on the floor.”
