Press Trust of India
PARAMARIBO, SURINAM, June 9, 2003: The World Hindi Conference was in an uproar Monday, PTI of India reported, when some believed efforts were made to project Hindu culture as Indian culture. Opponents alleged that it was an attempt to “saffronize” the conference. The uproar began when the chairman of the session, Dharmpal Maini, one of the ten attendees from India chosen to receive special honors at the conference, dwelt at length in his speech on Hindu culture. The chairmen of the Sanatan Dharm Mahasabha, Holland, Shyam Pandey, took exception to this and said it was not proper to regard Hindu culture as Indian culture, as did some others.
Representatives from Surinam, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago began speaking in support of Dharmpal Maini. Ram Bachan Rai of Bihar came to the dais and opposed Maini’s viewpoint. B. Upadhyaya then intervened by cutting off the microphone and said the session was over. When the address system was restored, verses from Ram Charit Manas were played. Later several conference attendees criticized this development, claiming the World Hindi Conference was being converted to the World Hindu Conference. HPI adds: We have no further information on this incident, and do not understand what points were being made regarding “Hindu” culture vis-a-vis “Indian” culture that led to objections by delegates.