OPPOSITION Leader Basdeo Panday accused United National Congress (UNC) Leader, Winston Dookeran of being greedy.

Panday, in his address at the closing of Divali Nagar last Monday night, drew the comparison in telling the story of how Lord Rama rescued Sita. Panday said when Sita was kidnapping by Rawan, Sri Ram did not lose himself in prayer, he did not sink himself in sorrow and wait and weep for her return.

“He went in search for her; he fought for her.

“He went to war for her; he slew the kidnapper.

“But before he could do so he assembled a united and disciplined army of loyal and disciplined soldiers.

“It was not an army in which everyday one of the soldiers would run to the media and complain because he did not get the whole cake all at once,” Panday told the huge crowd that had gathered at the Nagar Centre at Endeavour, Chaguanas.

The crowd listened attentively as Panday delivered his speech.

Dookeran, in his address at Divali Nagar on the night before, admitted that his position was not an easy one and would quite likely become increasingly challenging.

But he promised to work hard to safeguard the values of all public and private institutions, as the political party moved beyond the political boundaries of the past.

The UNC political leader complimented organisers for the theme of this year’s celebration “Vivah Sanskaar” – holy sacrament of the Hindu marriage.

Dookeran said people of all faiths had to rise beyond their immediate obstacles and keep their eyes glued to a higher freedom and a better way of life for their children.

“Society must not view those who are successful with envy and jealousy but must encourage all sons and daughters to be successful with their own toil and sweat,” Dookeran said.

Panday said the nation must be united for a struggle to be successful. He said: “We have to unite ourselves in our homes, town, cities and villages.

“It requires that we put the bitterness in the past.

“It requires forgiving; if not forgetting because it is said that those who forget the mistakes of history are condemned to repeating them.”

Panday said his recent conversation with certain persons should leave no doubt that he was prepared to do this to unite the nation in a struggle against crime and discrimination.

Minutes after Panday’s speech, a spectacular display of fireworks lit up the night sky.

Thousands of people, who could not get into the Nagar site, parked their cars on the shoulder along both the north and south bound lanes of the highway and even as far as a mile away from the Nagar site.