The role of the Hindu woman should not be relegated to roti maker and pholourie fryer, says Pundit Hardeo Persad, spiritual head of Swaha.
Speaking at Swaha’s Indian Arrival Day Dinner and Awards at the JFK Auditorium, UWI, St Augustine, Persad said women have much to offer society and his religious organisation continues to advocate for the raising the legal age of marriage to 18.
He said the Devi Bhagwat of the Hindu scriptures tells of the power of women and they should be given chances to make a contribution.
“To put it simply, you teach a man, you teach an individual. You teach a woman you teach a family. She is the carrier of the values system into the future. Why should we stifle them? We believe they are professionals and they are good as any and better than many, and they can make a contribution in more fields than one. We see in our exams and so on the girls are excelling.”
Persad said society cannot continue to turn away from the issue of same-sex relationships. He said there is no need for homosexuals and lesbians to get married.
“We have a situation which we can't turn a blind eye to, the attraction to the same sex. There is an argument where they want to be allowed the opportunity to get married. My question is why do you want to get married? Nobody is stopping you from a relationship. If there is a problem because of your orientation you are victimised, there is prejudice against you there is something wrong with that but I cannot see, for me, that we can sanction same sex marriages because of that.”
On the issue of abortion Persad said it should only be performed if the mother’s life is in danger.