The head of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS), Thirbhowan Seegobin, has quit the organization and has put out an ad in the media notifying members of the Hindu religious group of his decision. But the General Secretary of the SDMS, Sat Maharaj, says Seegobin didn't have the courtesy to formally advise the organization in writing of his decision. He said so far he has not had an explanation from Seegobin.
Maharaj said the executive will continue to operate within the constitution, adding that for now the first vice-president would act as president general. He said Dharmachariya Pundit Uttaham Maharaj will act in the position until elections, which are due in October.
Seegobin's ad said he left the top executive post of his "own free will" with effect from Feb. 6, 2008. He gave no reason for his action. But Maharaj confirmed that Seegobin walked out of an executive meeting and told him that he was leaving.
None of the two top Maha sabha men is talking about the problem but insiders say there has been bad blood between them over the operations of the SDMS Radio Jagriti. They say Seegobin complained about alleged nepotism in the station, accusing Maharaj of hiring several family members at the station.
Radio Jagriti's operations became controversial during the last election campaign when it became the unofficial voice of the opposition Congress of the People (COP). It's CEO, Devant Maharaj, was a candidate for the party in the election.
Many SDMS members complained that the station had lost its focus as a religious broadcasting organization for the Hindu community and had become too partisan in a campaign that pitted the COP against the United National Congress-Alliance (UNC-A), which had thousands of Hindu supporters across the nation.
It took the SDMS seven years to fight for its broadcast license in a legal battle that ended with a ruling in its favour by the Privy Council.
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