Real Street Jamaat, branch of the Anjuman Sunnatul Jamaat Association (ASJA) of Trinidad and Tobago on Friday wrote to Price Club Supermarket raising objections to the display of Hindu murtis and other Hindu items which were up for sale.
What’s happening in Trinidad and Tobago? (not Fiji) pic.twitter.com/YzWyB0BTjk
— Sarah L Gates Malini (@SarahLGates1) December 6, 2021
In a purported letter dated December 3, 2021, Haji Imtiaz Ali expressed ‘deep regret’ that one of the students of Haji Ruknudeen Institute of Islamic Studies went to a supermarket with her husband and was surprised to see Hindu murtis and other Hindu items up for sale. Haji then asked the second vice president to get these items removed from display shelf. “May Allah Azzawajall save us from the wrath,” he wrote.
However, Price Club Supermarket has refused to remove the ‘Hindu murtis and Hindu items’ from display which seemed to have offended the Haji.
In a Facebook post, Price Club Supermarket said that since past 27 years they have provided a family oriented environment for all creeds and races. Accusing the Haji of having personal enmity against one of the directors of the supermarket, it said, ‘The Price Club shall not entertain the utterances of any individual who devises to create disharmony and disunity of this cosmopolitan, harmonious rainbow nation that we all call HOME.’.
“We note through our investigations that the author of the document serves on the board of the Inter Religious Organisation, acts as the Muslim Prison Chaplin at the various prisons in Trinidad and Tobago and was appointed on the special committee to guide on the SEA and Concordat.It is disconcerting and ironic that such a divisive individual serves in the capacity of one who is charged to create harmony, tolerance and understanding in our society.We trust that good sense shall prevail in this matter and expect that a public apology shall be forthcoming from Mr. Haji Imtiaz Ali.We stand resolute in our service and support of all communities in our blessed nation as we have done for the past 27 years,” the supermarket said in its post.
As per World Atlas, according to the 2011 census, Protestant Christians comprise 32.1% of the population of Trinidad and Tobago while Roman Catholics comprise of 21.6% of the country’s population, making Christianity the largest religion in the world. Hindus comprise of 18.2% of the population, and are hence the largest minority community in Trinidad and Tobago.
