The row between the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha and members of the Dow Village Hindu mandir continues to fester, with both sides ready to battle for the ownership of the mandir.

Spokesperson for the mandir committee, Pamela Gookool, said yesterday she was stunned by the actions of top Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) officials during a recent ceremony.

’It is not right and my dharma (religion) demands that I stand up for what is right,’ she said in an interview.

Chairman of the Temple in the Sea committee, Randolph Rampersad, meanwhile said he was shocked by the incident he saw on videos posted on the Internet.

On Sunday, SDMS officials clashed with temple members during the election of members to a new temple committee.

Rampersad, who is in the United States, said: ’Gookool has been working very hard for the upliftment of Hinduism. She goes out to read the Ramayan (Hindu holy book) all over the country and devotes herself to religious work.’

But SDMS supporters yesterday said secretary general, Satnarayan Maharaj, has watched over the Hindu community.

’He guarded religion and culture, taught the youths to defend themselves and encouraged a full understanding of Hinduism, the ancient Indian religion,’ a Maha Sabha school official said.

The official said Maharaj was the Guru or godfather to the majority of the nation’s Hindus.

’Without his watchful eyes, the conversion of Hindus would have taken place and the religion would never have achieved the respect that it enjoys today,’ he said.

Maharaj said the objective was to return the mandir to the people of the village.

’The deed of the property has been sent to our attorneys to make sure that the Maha Sabha owns it and we will ensure that there is accountability at each of the Maha Sabha branches,’ he said.

He said that Hindus of the area had been forced out of the mandir by a handful of people determined to stay in control.