Recipient of Chaconia Gold Medal in this year's National Awards, Pundit Hardath Maharaj, of Cumuto, feels the state of emergency is a positive tool to reduce crime and bring back sanity in Trinidad and Tobago.In an interview at his Cumuto home, Pundit Hardath quoted from the Hindu sacred book, the Bhagvad Gita, where Lord Krishna states whenever there is a decline of righteousness in the world he would come and restore it.He said: "The state of emergency is one such tool towards the re-enactment of peace, law and order in our blissful land."I hope that every sector of the national citizenship will willingly support the extension as it is not for one section of the population but for the people of T&T."This Chaconia Gold Medal which I received on Independence Day is gratifying, not only for me but for all the people of our land."
Pundit Hardath, who celebrated his 80th birthday last July, said he would "continue serving the people, in whatever way I can, notwithstanding my age."He remains agile, witty and recalls verses from the various Hindu texts with ease.He had high praises for two leaders, Minister of Finance Winston Dookeran and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. He said both have the people and future of T&T, "not only in their mortal hands but in their blissful hearts."He added: "Mr Dookeran is a master in economics, an astute listener and he knows when to act and he does it in the spirit of utilitarianism and sincere humanitarianism. "I am not about politics, even though politics is the very essence of society and existence, but one cannot ignore the tangibles in it."All the religious books focus on leadership and the sociology of life, human existence and society."The late Archbishop Anthony Pantin was his classmate at St Mary's College and even though they practised different religions they were close friends, each visiting the other up to the time of Pantin's death.Pundit Hardath's older brother, the late Pundit Krishna Maharaj, of Caroni, who was the Dhamarcharya of the Santan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS), was awarded the Order of Trinidad and Tobago posthumously last year. Pundit Hardath's forefathers came from Uttar Pradesh in the mid-19th century to work on the sugar plantations.