By Sue-Ann Wayow
POLITICAL analyst Dr Bishnu Ragoonath has apologised to the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) for statements made and published in a daily newspaper.
Ragoonath, in a letter to SDMS Secretary General Vijay Maharaj dated April 8, said his statements alluded to him by the Guardian newspaper may have given the impression that the United National Congress (UNC) had purged the party from SDMS influence.
He wrote, “I humbly apologise to the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha for the statement alluded to me in the Trinidad Guardian of April 6, 2025 that gives the impression that the SDMS, which represents the majority of Sanatanist Hindus in Trinidad and Tobago was “purged” (please note that I never used this word) by the political party.
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Ragoonath said he was asked to comment on the statement made by UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar that she had purged the party.
On April 5, during the presentation of the UNC Coalition of Interest candidates, Persad-Bissessar said, “I have purged the politics of caste, class, nepotism, family connections, segregation, discrimination and dynasty from the UNC.”
Ragoonath responded by saying she was suggesting groups like the SDMS would have no more influence on the party.
His statements was made on the basis that Dinesh Rambally, a sitting executive member of the SDMS was no longer a member of the party having been the Member of Parliament for Chaguanas West from 2020 to 2025.
Ragoonath in his letter to Maharaj stated, “I am now led to believe that Mr Rambally’s resignation was a final step in separating the Maha Sabha from the UNC. I say final step since I noted that as far back as 2023, the Maha Sabha had been distancing itself from the UNC when it banned one sitting UNC Member of Parliament from its radio and television.”
He also stated, “So, the resignation of Mr Rambally from the UNC in 2025 could have said to have completed that separation and this would have occurred prior to the UNC political leader making her claim of “purging her party”. To that end, any suggestion that the UNC “purged” itself of the Maha Sabha in 2025, this is inaccurate as the SDMS had already withdrawn from any alignment with the UNC.”
