Hindus urge Trinidad & Tobago to restore visa of Hinduism students

Hindus have urged Trinidad and Tobago to immediately restore the visa of three Jamaican students who were reportedly denied student permits to study Hinduism in Couva. Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, urged President Paula-Mae Weekes, Prime Minister Keith Christopher Rowley, Education Minister Anthony Garcia and National Security Minister Stuart Richard Young to seriously look into it as Trinidad and Tobago constitution reportedly provided for freedom of religious belief/practice/observance, worship and conscience; and prohibited discrimination based on religion. Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, also urged The Inter-Religious Organization of Trinidad and Tobago (whose founding task was “speak to the Nation on matters of social, moral and religious concern”) and its President Archbishop Barbara Gray-Burke to take up this issue. Rajan Zed further urged the Immigration Division (of Ministry of National Security) which issues student permits, and Chief Immigration Officer Charmaine Gandhi-Andrews, to help these students to complete the required paperwork/formalities so that their student permits could be renewed and they could stay in the country to pursue their Hinduism studies. Trinidad and Tobago should not deprive somebody from religious learning/advancement and should feel delighted as foreigners chose it as an educational destination, Zed added. Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about 1.1 billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.