Kamla Persad-Bissessar's victory in the United National Congress' (UNC) internal election was historic in that for the first time in T&T, a female was in charge of a major political party. In another regard, the triumph was significant in that it marked the end of the Panday era in T&T politics and by extension the end of the charismatic era of Carib-bean leaders. Kamla, to many, faced an insurmountable challenge in the form of the "Panday factor." The ground, however, moved seemingly unknown to Panday. This movement began as a trickle with Hulsie Bhaggan, building with Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, gaining momentum with Winston Dookeran and finally succeeding with Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
The genuinely independent pollsters were correctly forecasting a Kamla victory but the Panday camp was relying on bogus polls and character assassination. They fought under the illusion that a Hindu-trained woman was weak and could never withstand the Panday onslaught. Molepolole is a market research company based in T&T and some of its clients include Digicel, Better Network, T&T Guardian, Gayelle, Unilever and the Government of St Kitts. On January 21, three days before the UNC poll, it found that out of the 325 party members polled, the majority favoured Kamla. The fact that the final and successful challenger to the Panday juggernaut was a Hindu female resulted in a level of hostility that made many within and outside the UNC cringe in disgust. The attempts to malign the character of Kamla indicated a level of desperation within the Panday camp but more significantly it simply just turned off voters.
Many potential voters were uncomfortable supporting Panday, who was pointing to a weakness in Persad-Bissessar after he had supported her career politically over the years. Many others felt that Panday plainly did not have the moral legitimacy to make any character attacks on Persad-Bissessar. Essentially this was one form in which the UNC faithful rallied round Kamla. The negative ste-reotype, which the Panday faction attempted to paint Kamla, backfired with a landslide victory in favour of a woman under attack. Unfortunately for Panday, the only negative stereotype that emerged strongly was that of an Indian male battering an Indian female. An oppressed and suppressed Indian female trying to do what is right for her community/ family and being mercilessly beaten upon by an uncaring male. Yet in true epic style, despite this humiliation and challenge, the steadfast contender to the UNC throne emerged as the victor.
Among the faithful, Kamla is being referred to as the "Rani of Jhansi," a historical Indian female figure who fought against the British as they invaded her country. When the colonial soldiers attempted to annex her country at the death of her husband, she became a warrior. Just as Kamla was being accused falsely so too was the Rani. This catapulted her from being a housewife to the leader of an army. Even today she is referred to as the most important leader in the Indian rebellion against the British in 1854. A rather formidable young woman, the Rani of Jhansi died in 1858 fighting the British in what was the last major action in the great Indian rebellion which had started the year before. History of this battle was written by British historians who prefer to refer to this first India independence battle as the "Indian Mutiny."
Today her name is commonplace throughout India, renowned as a leader of the rebellion. But she was more than a martial leader. In her brief time she cast aside many conventions to unite peoples of all castes and religions in her cause. She put aside purdah, which she only observed with respect to the British. She encouraged other women to do the same and trained them to fight and support the main army. She was not the only Jhansi woman to die fighting the British. She cut across the social norms of the time, refusing to accept her fate "as a woman." She cared for all her people and consulted with them at crucial times and carried them with her.
The Rani died on June 18, 1858, during the battle for Gwalior with 8th Hussars that took place in Kotah-Ki-Serai near the Phool Bagh area of Gwalior. She donned warriors' clothes and rode on a horse into battle to save Gwalior Fort, about 120 miles west of Lucknow in what is now the state of Uttar Pradesh. The British captured Gwalior three days later. In the report of the battle for Gwalior, General Sir Hugh Rose commented that the Rani, "remarkable for her beauty, cleverness and perseverance," had been "the most dangerous of all the rebel leaders". This is a part of the legacy of Kamla Persad-Bissessar and all the women of T&T!
Satnarayan Maharaj is the
secretary general of the
Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha
