Churning times for island, PM talks pluralism

PM Manmohan Singh’s trip to this island nation comes at a sensitive phase in its political and social history and any short cuts in dip...

PM Manmohan Singh’s trip to this island nation comes at a sensitive phase in its political and social history and any short cuts in diplomatic decisions could prove disastrous.

That Mauritius is a fragmented society can be made out from the way Ajay Prasad Saklani walked a few steps behind the PM at Aapravasi Ghat this morning. Saklani may claim to wield more influence than he actually does, but he is an Acharya of a Hindu rights group here ‘‘to keep Hindus away from the preying Christian evangelists and to monitor if the demographic pattern is changing in favour of Muslims’’.

Singh spoke of pluralism at a reception at the Vivekananda International Convention Centre and the inauguration of Ebene Cyber Towers, built with Indian support. ‘‘The world salutes the unique Mauritian personality which is a fine product of the harmonious coexistence of races, religions and cultures,’’ the PM said.

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Of course, the PM knew nothing about Saklani, who received help from the administration to get into his entourage. Saklani said Hindus in Mauritius are carrying out their own unification exercise with the help of four Acharyas like him.

People of Indian origin have done fairly well and outnumber other ethnic groups, but there is a growing distance between the island’s 51 per cent Hindus and 17 per cent Indian Muslims. Jan Vani editor Sarita Boodhoo agreed these are difficult times, with politics running on communal lines.

Investigators, including a bomb squad, combed the site. (Representational)

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