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A movement is fast gaining momentum on the ground to canvass support among the Indian community to boycott the Batu Caves temple for the Thaipusam festival which falls in Jan 23.

Short message services (SMSes) and emails are being circulated asking people not to fulfill their spiritual vows in Batu Caves following the temple committee’s role in allowing the police to violently disperse a gathered crowd in the early hours of Nov 25.

So far no one has claimed leadership or responsibility for the boycott call but the feedback from the ground seemed to indicate that it is a random act of protest propagated by unknown individuals.

“As mark of respect for all fellow brothers and sisters who were part of the Nov 25 rally, we will fulfill all our spiritual vows at other temples in Malaysia except Batu Caves during Thaipusam,” said one such SMS making its rounds in recent weeks. Other SMSes with similar messages have also been in circulation lately.

The SMSes refer to the violent dispersal by police of a large crowd who had gathered peacefully at the compound of the Batu Caves temple in the early hours of that day last year.

The crowd had arrived there prior to participating in the much-talked about Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) organised rally in Kuala Lumpur later that morning.

The police have said that they had acted only after they were called in by the Batu Caves temple management committee, headed by R Nadarajah.

Nadarajah (photo) had defended the temple’s actions by saying that the crowd had trespassed into the temple after closing hours and in the process had caused severe damages to the temple’s properties.

Thaipusam is one of the most important festivals for the Hindus. It is dedicated to Lord Muruga and celebrates the victory of good over evil. In Malaysia, Batu Caves has been the centre of the celebration for years, attracting about a million visitors on that day every year.

An angry community

One annual Batu Caves visitor, S Sivalingam from Pasir Penampang in Selangor told Malaysiakini that the calls for the boycott was likely to be heeded in his area.

“Every year bus loads of devotees from this place and the surrounding estates will make the pilgrimage to Batu Caves. This year lots of people are asking us not to go after what the temple has done to the people who were there on Nov 25,” he said.

He said that calls for the boycott has come not just via the SMSes, but also from local community leaders and from fellow residents themselves.

“They talk openly about Hindraf and how Nadarajah and his committee members have failed to support the fight for Indian rights,” he added.

He admitted the local Indian population in his area and the surrounding areas - which have long been strong BN supporters - were angry with the manner Hindraf supporters and protesters were treated in both Batu Caves and Kuala Lumpur city centre on Nov 25.

“The feeling is that our political parties have failed us. Our temples have failed too. So why must we continue giving our support to them,” asked Sivalingam, a 43-year-old businessman.

Bloggers too have joined along in asking the people to boycott Batu Caves this year.

“Perhaps we should teach them (the Batu Caves committee) by going to Penang and Malacca for Thaipusam. Let them lose their revenue,” wrote a blogger.

“Public solidarity is paramount in this symbolic effort to achieve the objectives and show that it is not easily quelled. Let's hit them where it naturally hurts most - $$$,” wrote another blogger.

Hindraf denies involvement

A priest in a small temple in Kapar K Munian said that he was worried that devotees from his temple would take “their fight against the wrong party”.

“The anger should not be focussed at the deity in the temple. It is after all Lord Muruga’s day. We go there to pray to him. If the anger is against the temple committee, find some other way to show it. Let’s not ask people not to go to Batu Caves to pray,” he pleaded.

Hindraf coordinator RS Thanenthiran (photo), when contacted, denied that his organisation was the mover behind the call for the boycott.

“How can we ask people not to pray. Of course we at Hindraf are angry with the Batu Caves temple committee, but that doesn’t mean we can ask people to boycott Lord Muruga,” he said.

“It is a temple and we will not stop people from praying there. But if it is their choice to boycott, we can’t do anything about that,” he added.

Batu Caves temple officials when contacted said that they are aware of the calls to boycott the temple for Thaipusam.

“But we are not worried about this. We are sure the devotees will continue to come here to worship,” said an official.

Protest the right way

Similar strong sentiment was espoused by MIC vice president S Veerasingam, who was confident that devotees will not boycott Batu Caves for Thaipusam.

“As usual thousands will turn up at Batu Caves and other places to fulfill their vows. Do not bring negative thoughts into religious festivals,” he told Malaysiakini.

A long time kavadi-bearer at Batu Caves, P Batu Malai said that he would surely fulfill his vows by carrying a kavadi this year too at Batu Caves, although he was angry with the manner the temple committee handled the crowd on Nov 25.

“I was in the crowd and I know how the temple committee worked hand in hand with the police in getting us out of the temple compound,” he claimed.

“But that will not stop me from going there for Thaipusam. However I will not pay a single sen to the temple for any of its projects and charity drives. Neither will I be standing around to hear MIC president S Samy Vellu’s annual speech for Thaipusam at Batu Caves,” he added.

The attacks and criticisms against MIC president S Samy Vellu have degenerated to macabre levels. 

While some might find this amusing, others have condemned it as being nothing more than meretricious politics.

For some time now, unidentified groups have been circulating, among others, notices on the veteran politician's '16th-day funeral prayers'.

Rumours are also rife that such prayers were actually carried out in several locations but this could not be confirmed.

According to sources, there are numerous versions of the notice, which are also being forwarded via the internet.

These notices have also been posted at various places, with one calling the MIC president as the Indian community's 'No 1 Killer'.

The notice obtained by Malaysiakini is typical of the '16th-day funeral prayers' invitation advertised in newspapers.

The notice, which contains a photograph of Samy Vellu flanked by oil lamps, urged the people to attend the event on Dec 25, 2007 near a riverbank in Batang Berjuntai.

Apart from using derogatory words to describe the MIC president, the notice also accused him or enriching his family members and friends while the Indian community suffered.

In view of this, the notice stated: "We call on the Tamil people of Batang Berjuntai to pray that his soul suffers in hell."

Hindraf rally 

The notice also stated that Samy Vellu had 'passed away in embarrassment' after witnessing the Nov 25 rally organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

The protest, held in Kuala Lumpur, saw some 30,000 Indian Malaysians taking to the streets.

The notice also carried swipes against Samy Vellu's family members, his deputy G Palanivel, vice-president S Sothinathan, secretary-general S Subramaniam and Youth chief S Vigneswaran.

MIC and its leaders have come under intense pressure since the Nov 25 rally, which some observers have described as a 'political awakening' for the Indian community.

Hindraf had also accused MIC of failing to represent the Indians, a charge which has been repeatedly denied by the party.

The movement also ruffled feathers by claiming that the government had allegedly marginalised Indians and subjected them to ethnic cleansing.

Five Hindraf leaders have since been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

'Bunch of idiots'

Meanwhile, Palanivel condemned the 'funeral prayer' notice when asked to comment on the distribution of such material.

"It is not part of our culture to do this kind of thing to a person who is alive. It's very degrading," he told Malaysiakini.

The MIC deputy president stressed that those who are religious and possess human values would not resort to such activities.

"I do not think that the people are happy with such a negative activity," he added.

Sothinathan, on the other hand, described those behind the notices as a "bunch of idiots who have no respect for their religion and culture."

"Even animals would not do such things, these are people who do not know the Indian culture. If they are true Hindus, they would not do such things," he told Malaysiakini.

"These people should stop blaming others, these are people who would not progress themselves or allow others to progress, they should not be taken seriously," he added.

'Mentally unstable elements'

Also condemning the notices was MIC vice-president S Veerasingam.

"It is very unbecoming of people to stoop so low for their own political agenda. This is the work of politically bankrupt and mentally unstable elements," he told Malaysiakini.

"Samy Vellu is a great leader, we must not belittle his contribution to the community and nation. Let us respect and recognise him as a great leader," he added.

Veerasingam also pointed out that MIC's main thrust has been in the field of education and "one man who has contributed immensely in this field is none other than Samy Vellu." 

Concurring with these views, a MIC grassroots leader, who declined to be named, said while some might argue that such actions reflect the anger felt by the community, it is nevertheless demeaning.

"It is distasteful, to say the least. Such actions could backfire and see the support for Hindraf waning," he noted.

"If they want to take on MIC, its president and other leaders, they should do it through the proper channels, such as the ballot box, and not resort to such crude and vile means," he added.