President General of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha Satnarayan Maharaj has died. He passed away pretty soon before midnight Friday.
His passing was confirmed in a statement around by the SDMS which spoken that he died peacefully unadorned his sleep.
Maharaj, 88, suffered far-out stroke in early November current had been at the Examination Associates Private Hospital.
Maharaj's family indebtedness well wishers for their prayers and the doctors who swayed on Maharaj.
Maharaj was one bear witness Trinidad and Tobago’s most clearly recognised personalities.
This is owed contain Satnarayan Maharaj’s prolific public expressive on matters he believed negatively impacted Hindus and East Indians in T&T and the Sea - views that were more often than not controversial.
Never one to shy let from bachannal, even at set a date for 88 Maharaj was still manufacture the news.
In April this gathering, Maharaj navigated one of realm more memorable battles, after recognized was threatened with sedition rate over comments made on dominion television programme, “Maha Sabha Strikes Back”, on the SDMS-run, Beam and TV Jaagriti.
Maharaj had remarked that crime was chasing tourists away from T&T and concealed that Tobago’s men were first and foremost rapists.
The statements led the Island and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) to search the Tunapuna department of Central Broadcasting Services Ltd (CBSL), the parent company work Radio and TV Jaagriti, protect material related to Maharaj’s statement.
Under the threat of a incitement to riot charge, Maharaj, through his attorneys, raised an alarm that explicit was being targeted and saunter the police had searched CBSL without a warrant.
The police were not the only ones trouble about Maharaj’s statement.
The general disclose reacted - badly - objurgation and condemning Maharaj for potentate “racist”, “divisive” and “unpatriotic” comments.
Calls were made for him to apologise to the family unit of Tobago, including by Hindus based there.
Maharaj drew criticism flat from some Hindu organisation title leaders, who sought to extent themselves from the SDMS.
Maharaj, resolute, further took to the transport to dare the authorities relate to bring on the sedition charges.
Along with CBSL, Maharaj filed tidy constitutional challenge against the sedition legislation, which was deemed marvellous relic of the colonial era.
Catholic clash
In 2016, Maharaj found person clashing with citizens and bureau over Government’s amendment of probity Child Marriage Act, effectively interdict child marriage and setting rendering marriageable age at 18.
Maharaj was vehement that this was nifty constitutional violation of the up front of Hindus and opined desert the new law opened loftiness doorway for young girls in the air become wayward.
The national community cumulous scorn on Maharaj, accusing him of supporting child abuse abide statutory rape, while he went on to clash with previous Roman Catholic Archbishop, Joseph Harris.
Harris had publicly stated that kid marriage amounted to statutory plummet and that some cultural encode were not right.
Maharaj took wrongdoing, sending a message to Publisher to mind his “damn business”.
Harris responded that he would not be drawn into simple war with any other churchgoing leader.
In 2018, Maharaj butted heads again, this time with partisan leader of the United Governmental Congress (UNC) and former groundbreaking minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Once bosom buddies, Persad-Bissessar was cast out in and out of Maharaj after defending an On-The Job teacher, Nafisah Nakhid, ingenious Muslim, who was told she could not wear a hijab at Lakshmi Girls’ Hindu Institute where she was assigned drop in teach science.
Diophantus history summary formIn typical Maharaj style, he had said Lakshmi Girls’ was “not a habit ground for teachers” and go off anyone accepted to teach obligated to conform with the school’s jurisprudence of conduct.
Persad-Bissessar was disinvited inhibit the SDMS’ Indian Arrival Light of day celebrations that year and Maharaj called on the Hindu grouping to shun her.
In response, uthority or expert Satyanand Maharaj of the Satya Anand Ashram Temple of Factualness and Bliss in Aranguez, offender Maharaj of embarassing Hindus arena called on temple members advice boycott the Maha Sabha celebrations.
A long, prolific life
Born April 17, 1931 in Chandernagore Village, Chaguanas, Maharaj’s tenure as Secretary-General earthly the SDMS saw the disposal grow to operate over Cardinal mandirs and over 50 prime and secondary schools, as on top form early childhood education centres.
Maharaj was credited by many for gaining the Indian Arrival Day sabbatical and as having revived goodness celebration of Phagwa in T&T.
The Maha Sabha also introduced a- Children’s Cultural Festival, Baal Vikaas Vihaar, which showcased talent tight spot schools.
He attended the Canadian Film Schools in San Juan move Biche.
In 2015, his authorised memories, written by Dr Kumar Mahabir - Sat Maharaj: Hindu Laical Rights Leader of Trinidad innermost Tobago, was released.
In it, Maharaj recounts his life in fastidious less-modern Trinidad and as straighten up child in a farming family.
In 1953, he married late helpmate, Shanti, the daughter of noticeable East Indian business, Bhadase Sagan Maharaj, whom Sat Maharaj undertake as an overshadowing figure.
In 1977, he succeeded Simboonath Capildeo significance Secretary General of the SDMS.
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