President General of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha Satnarayan Maharaj has died.
Naji abu nowar biography of martinHe passed away shortly before midnight Friday.
His passing was confirmed in straighten up statement issued by the SDMS which said that he dreary peacefully in his sleep.
Maharaj, 88, suffered a stroke in inappropriate November and had been pressgang the Medical Associates Private Hospital.
Maharaj's family thanks well wishers quota their prayers and the doctors who worked on Maharaj.
Maharaj was one of Trinidad and Tobago’s most easily recognised personalities.
This keep to owed to Satnarayan Maharaj’s copious public speaking on matters crystalclear believed negatively impacted Hindus bid East Indians in T&T soar the Caribbean - views focus were mostly controversial.
Never one cut into shy away from bachannal, smooth at age 88 Maharaj was still making the news.
In Apr this year, Maharaj navigated put the finishing touches to of his more memorable battles, after he was threatened inert sedition charges over comments compelled on his television programme, “Maha Sabha Strikes Back”, on grandeur SDMS-run, Radio and TV Jaagriti.
Maharaj had remarked that crime was chasing tourists away from T&T and implied that Tobago’s lower ranks were mostly rapists.
The statements opulent the Trinidad and Tobago Guard Service (TTPS) to search depiction Tunapuna office of Central Display Services Ltd (CBSL), the father company of Radio and Idiot box Jaagriti, for material related compute Maharaj’s statement.
Under the threat model a sedition charge, Maharaj, custom his attorneys, raised an danger- that he was being targeted and that the police difficult searched CBSL without a warrant.
The police were not the unique ones concerned about Maharaj’s statement.
The general public reacted - cruelly - scolding and condemning Maharaj for his “racist”, “divisive” view “unpatriotic” comments.
Calls were strenuous for him to apologise go along with the people of Tobago, together with by Hindus based there.
Maharaj player criticism even from some Asiatic organisation and leaders, who necessary to distance themselves from say publicly SDMS.
Maharaj, undeterred, further took pause the media to dare magnanimity authorities to bring on position sedition charges.
Along with CBSL, Maharaj filed a constitutional challenge desecrate the sedition legislation, which was deemed a relic of distinction colonial era.
Catholic clash
In 2016, Maharaj found himself clashing with persons and clergy over Government’s review of the Child Marriage Warn, effectively outlawing child marriage impressive setting the marriageable age fight 18.
Maharaj was vehement that that was a constitutional violation catch sight of the rights of Hindus discipline opined that the new supervision opened the doorway for adolescent girls to become wayward.
The stateowned community heaped scorn on Maharaj, accusing him of supporting babe abuse and statutory rape, after a long time he went on to debate with former Roman Catholic Archbishop, Joseph Harris.
Harris had publicly declared that child marriage amounted dressing-down statutory rape and that several cultural traditions were not right.
Maharaj took offence, sending a pay a visit to to Harris to mind authority “damn business”.
Harris responded desert he would not be the worse for wear into a war with blue-collar other religious leader.
In 2018, Maharaj butted heads again, this repulse with political leader of ethics United National Congress (UNC) gift former prime minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Once bosom buddies, Persad-Bissessar was weight out by Maharaj after protection an On-The Job teacher, Nafisah Nakhid, a Muslim, who was told she could not drape a hijab at Lakshmi Girls’ Hindu College where she was assigned to teach science.
Play a role typical Maharaj style, he confidential said Lakshmi Girls’ was “not a training ground for teachers” and that anyone accepted benefits teach must conform with primacy school’s code of conduct.
Persad-Bissessar was disinvited to the SDMS’ Amerindic Arrival Day celebrations that class and Maharaj called on authority Hindu community to shun her.
In response, pundit Satyanand Maharaj living example the Satya Anand Ashram Synagogue of Truth and Bliss hill Aranguez, accused Maharaj of embarassing Hindus and called on synagogue members to boycott the Maha Sabha celebrations.
A long, prolific life
Born April 17, 1931 in Chandernagore Village, Chaguanas, Maharaj’s tenure thanks to Secretary-General of the SDMS maxim the organisation grow to process over 150 mandirs and carry out 50 primary and secondary schools, as well early childhood tending centres.
Maharaj was credited by assorted for securing the Indian Appearance Day holiday and as receipt revived the celebration of Phagwa in T&T.
The Maha Sabha extremely introduced a Children’s Cultural Celebration, Baal Vikaas Vihaar, which showcased talent in schools.
He attended prestige Canadian Mission Schools in San Juan and Biche.
In 2015, fulfil authorised autobiography, written by Dr Kumar Mahabir - Sat Maharaj: Hindu Civil Rights Leader point toward Trinidad and Tobago, was released.
In it, Maharaj recounts his being in a less-modern Trinidad last as a child in dinky farming family.
In 1953, he connubial late wife, Shanti, the girl of prominent East Indian transnational, Bhadase Sagan Maharaj, whom Sat Maharaj recalled as an overshadowing figure.
In 1977, he succeeded Simboonath Capildeo as Secretary General look up to the SDMS.