Administrator's note: This matter may be of of importance under S4(h) of the Constitution of Trinidad & Tobago: freedom of conscience and religious belief and observance - hence it's promotion to a separate topic line.
Namaskaar. I am truly sorry for my delay in bringing this issue to the table. Yet, due to unavailable internet access, this my earliest opportunity. Of course, this is not quite a valid excuse in relation to the importance of making this matter recognized.
I am a fourteen year old, attending a rather ‘prestigious’ school in this country. Yet, the oppression I am faced with, based on my religious, Hindu beliefs, is quite disgraceful. Of course, no great school will like their name to be quoted alongside my previous statement, yet, their religious discrimination against myself as well as others of my religious faith, has enforced me to take some form of action.
Taken that you may not know what a raksha is, it is a sacred thread tied mainly on the wrists of Hindu devotees, after the completion of a pooja or religious ceremony. I do accept that many people do not believe in our religious actions, yet I do not approve of and appreciate them abiding by ‘ignorance is bliss’, because it is us, Hindu youths, who are being affect by this.
Many schools throughout Trinidad (and I am sure, Tobago as well) are being faced with religious discrimination by the school administration, by not being able to wear this religious icon on our wrists. To some, this may be of their ignorance to understand the reasons in which we carry out these poojas, wear the raksha, and then are required to continue wearing it afterwards. However, to others, this is blatantly because of their belief that we Hindus are pagans.
However, whatever the reason may be, we youths feel cheated against because although some of us are equipped to stand up and give precise and effective answers to why we do what we do, we are commonly hushed and told that ‘religious matters are quite tender and several issues may arise’. SO WHAT? Isn’t that supposed to happen? Isn’t this an issue? Isn’t our inability to practice our rather simple religious belief and issue?
Isn’t it rather disturbing to point out that Muslim girls are allowed to wear their long sleeves, pants, overalls and hijabs, and we, innocently following what the pundit told us to do, are rudely confronted and told to ‘take off that string; it’s not a part of the school rules’. BUT WHY? Why is this so? If your answer is that I belong to a school of another religious background, and that I should abide by the religious structure of that institution, then why is it that so much has been put in place to accommodate the Islamic faith, yet much ignorance is faced against us.
But why is this so? I ask this, out of great humility, to anyone who can share some light on this issue. To others, this may be new news, and I do hope that it arises some concern within. Please know that my remarks about my Muslims sisters were not intended to be offensive, but just used as observations to build my point. I ask you to post any questions or comments you have, and I will try my very best to attend to them at the earliest time possible. Namaskaar.
Shivana