Hindraf is rocked by more arrests and revelation by its leader Waytha that 3 of its main personalities are recruited by Special Branch.

The email from Waytha as below:

HINDRAF
135-3 JALAN TOMAN 7
KEMAYAN SQUARE
70200 SEREMBAN

BRIEF PRESS STATEMENT 23^RD AUGUST 2008-08
RE: ISA DETAINEE VASANTHAKUMAR A SPECIAL BRANCH PLANT
RAMACHANDRAN MEYAPPAN & V.K.REGU HAVE BEEN RECRUITED AS GOVERNMENT AGENTS TO BETRAY HINDRAF CAUSE.

ISA detainee Vasanthakumar had volunteered to join HINDRAF in September 2007 and according to him at that time he was waiting for someone to do something drastic and the fact that I had filed an action against the UK Government attracted him to join HINDRAF. He had then served as a volunteer and I offered him to undertake the post of pro tem treasurer.

It came to my attention in January 2008 that Vasanthakumar has been planted by the Police Special Branch to infiltrate HINDRAF and upon further investigations the fact became apparent.

In March 2008 I was informed by two top Government officers on separate occasions confirming Vasanthakumar was assigned to break up HINDRAF lawyers in detention and the organisation from his detention. He had since met with various people from within HINDRAF to break the organization.

V.K.Regu though was a Pro tem Secretary of HINDRAF but was removed personally by me in October 2008 for undertaking activities against the interests of HINDRAF.

Upon the arrest of the 5 I had appointed a 10 member interim committee of which Tanendran was made the National Co-ordinator and Ramachandran Meyappan alias Ramaji was made the Spiritual Advisor of HINDRAF.

Recent events have shown that Ramaji and Regu had made frequent visits to KEMTA prison to meet Vasanthakumar secretly and they had colluded to break up HINDRAF and take over the registration of HINDRAFas an organization.

Ramaji and Regu had various secret and unauthorised meetings with the Prime Ministers Department, the PM’s Private Secretary and top MIC leaders over the last 5 months and I have evidence of this. It is now clear that all their activities thus far is to break up HINDRAF and take over the leadership of HINDRAF together with Vasanthakumar upon his release from ISA.

It wouldn’t be a surprise that the Government would approve the registration of HINDRAF as a legitimate organisation but the approval would be handed over to Regu Ramaji and Vasanthakumar and other MIC proxies so that the unity and power that HINDRAF has displayed under the MAKKAL SAKTI would be permanently be damaged and shattered.

I apologize to all HINDRAF supporters for concealing these crucial facts all these while. I did this solely to protect the unity and integrity of HINDRAF and to avoid the breakup of HINDRAF. I sincerely believed that the release of the 5 including Vasanthakumar is of utmost importance for the sake of HINDRAF’S struggle.

What transpired today at Butterworth is a blatant insult to the intelligence of all HINDRAF supporters. Ramaji and Regu had placed various advertisements and news in the local tamil daily over the last few days about gathering 20 000 people for a Yaagam for the release of the 5 HINDRAF and for the promotion of the 18 demands submitted by HINDRAF in August 2007 under their organisations ie HSS (Hindu Sevai Sangam) and an organisation loosely named Makkal Sakti. This event that was organised deliberately in the Permatang Pauh Constituency where there the Ex deputy Prime Minister is contesting in a by-election next Tuesday. By using the name Makkal sakti both ramaji and Regu had expected a huge crowd to bolster their grip on HINDRAF by the Prime Minister personally attending their Maha Yagam which was organised in a Chinese Temple (1^st time of its kind) and entertained by a local famous pop band group.

I urge all HINDRAF supporters to remain calm during this crucial moment and urge all look out for news in our website www.hindraf.org and www.hindraf.co.uk for the latest news.

As the Chairman of this organisation I take full responsibility for the damage caused to the divine struggle of this organisation and extend my sincere apologies to all our supporters. Let us all unite to fight the betrayers within us who are up for selfish gain and to break the unity that never was seen prior to this within our community over the last 51 years. May the blessings of the almighty be showered upon us on this crucial period and I seek his guidance to take me in the right path.

P.Waytha Moorthy
HINDRAF
Currently in London

Looks like HINDRAF is in getting into a mess with many wanna-be splinters coming up.

The incident he was talking about is the yagam (prayer) organised by a Makkal Sakthi group in a Chinese temple in Penang. The event was attended by Prime Minister Badawi which itself is an impossible feat since he had declared that he will never meet any HINDRAF leaders (“who are they” comes to mind). Thus, its clear that another group had organised this yagam.

The Hindraf coordinators led by Thanenthiran protested outside the temple, and subsequently the police arrested them. 8 leaders arrested including two ladies. Report from Malaysiakini:

Eight Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders, including national co-ordinator TS Thanenthiran, were arrested this evening after staging a protest against a splinter group outside a Chinese temple in Seberang Jaya, Penang.

The protest began around 2pm, swelling to about 200 people by the time the arrests were made. The splinter group, which also claims to represent Hindraf, was carrying out a bonfire prayer at the temple.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in town to help campaign for his coalition in the Permatang Pauh by-election, dropped by to visit the temple around 5.30pm. He chatted briefly with members of the splinter group and shook hands with some of them before leaving.

Soon after that, the demonstration got out of hand and the arrests were made around 6.30pm.

Police said the eight people, including two women, were arrested for illegal demonstration.

Hindraf chief P Waythamoorthy called Malaysiakini from London, saying that the splinter group did not represent Hindraf and the prayer ceremony was not sanctioned by the Indian rights group.

Bonfire organisers VK Regu had told reporters earlier that the event was organised by the Makkal Sakhti movement, which is sometimes used interchangeably with Hindraf, in collaboration with an NGO.

We want to seek divine intervention to secure the release of the five Hindraf leaders detained under the Internal Security Act, he said, adding that the event was also to urge Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat to fulfil Hindraf’s 18-point memorandum on Indian affairs submitted to Abdullah last year.

Shortly after, Regu was confronted by the 10 Hindraf activists and a shouting match erupted between the two groups before the protest began.

The Hindraf activist claimed that the bonfire organisers were out to confuse Indian voters in Permatang Pauh by engaging Abdullah at the event.

The demonstration began immediately after Abdullah left the event with protesters shouting reformasi and long live Anwar before they were dispersed by the police.