On top of all the harm his mercenary outfit had inflicted upon India-Malaysia relations and its disservice to Indian Diaspora, HINDRAF chief Waytha Moorthy has got philosophical. He said, “We tried our level best; but if we don’t succeed, we have to call it a day, isn’t it? . . . because not all battles are meant to be won!”
By Sampathkumar Iyangar
Malaysian Tamils must thank their stars that their country was lucky enough to successfully nip in the bud the seed of a disaster that will have, one day, turned it into a savage, lawless society. The HINDRAF movement, had it not been ruthlessly put down, could have led to unrest of the scale gripping Kenya today. In ethnic violence in that country following the disputed presidential elections, more than 300 people have been killed even as the Nairobi government says, “Kenya is not burning and not in the throes of any division.” And Malaysia is a multi-ethnic nation that has to tread with lots of caution.
Kenyan Vice President Moody Awori told a television station, “The unrest is costing the country $ 31 million a day. Security forces had arrested 500 people since skirmishes began.” The brunt of the agitation has been borne by the Gujarati community although it has veered clear of politics and has only come under crossfire between dominant clans. While the headcount of people of Indian origin is estimated at just about a lakh out of the total population of 34 million, they control a big chunk of business and commerce. Some 43,000 Gujaratis live in Nairobi, which has been rocked by the most severe arson and shop looting. Neighbouring Kisumu town, which is the stronghold of humbled presidential challenger Raila Odinga, alone has 3000 Gujaratis and was the worst hit. Supermarkets and shops in the town – more than two-thirds of them owned by Gujaratis – are charred beyond recognition. They had to take shelter in the Swaminarayan temple in the town for several days.
Unlike the Tamil-speaking population of Malaysia, many of whom have never set foot in Tamil Nadu and are not aware of the plight of people there, most Gujaratis settled in Kenya are travel bugs; they are resourceful and passionate enough to make frequent trips to maintain close contacts with relations in Gujarat. Yet, they are accepted and respected by their new location because of the philanthropic contributions; development of locals takes precedence to spending money on temples. The political leaders of Gujarat too are careful to ensure that New Delhi does not take stupid actions that jeopardize their well-being.
Narendra Modi has sent two letters in quick succession to the prime minister Singh urging that the Central Government “make arrangements for safety of lives and property of the people.” The letters convey, “The State government has information that people of Gujarati origin have suffered heavy losses to their property due to the violence. . . The Central Government should issue emergency visas to people who want to temporarily return to India and make all arrangements for their safe home coming.” He has suggested that special flights or ocean liners be provided for them and carefully restrained from meddling in Kenya’s affairs.
Doesn’t this approach starkly contrast with that of politicians of all shades belonging to TN? All of them appeared to be interested only in gaining political mileage when Malaysia was grappling with an irresponsible local outfit. That unfortunately included chief minister Karunanidhi. Without going into the merits of activities of a mischievous gang up of lawyers, he rushed in with a statement in their favour. It clearly amounted to challenging the government of Malaysia. (Let it however be admitted that the CM backtracked from his untenable position as soon as the implications became known.) The ‘weakest ever’ prime minister of the country, ever-prepared to be pressurized by dominating allies to cling on, and his senile foreign minister issued ridiculous foot-in-the-mouth statements. Their mishandling of the issue earned the worst humiliation to the whole of India as the Malaysian authorities rightly asked them to shut up and mind their own business, in not-so- diplomatic language.
The sum total of totally nonsensical actions by HINDRAF and the Indian politicians is that straightforward and law-abiding Tamil-speaking Malaysians have only earned a lot of ill-will from their co-inhabitants. The Malaysian government acted sternly and locked up five top conspirators for attempting to destabilize the country. While these top guns engaged good lawyers and mount a PR campaign at considerable expense, the 69 protesters who participated in the illegal rally were not so lucky. Many of them had been hoodwinked into joining the protest and have been left to face arduous trial for indulging in ‘mischief’. Some 17 of them, who failed to present themselves in court, face even more serious punishment when the court hears the case again on Feb 14.
To make matters worse, the chief troublemaker P Waytha Moorthy, has expectedly ditched the movement. He is comfortably holed up in a posh London suburb and has virtually called it quits in a long interview session with Associated Press. He had the audacity to ask, “We tried our level best; but if we don’t succeed, we have to call it a day, isn’t it?” Chatting with the AP scribe at a McDonald’s restaurant in London, he confessed, “I know, eventually we will also fail. What we can, we will still do. But if the whole struggle is going to die, what can we do? As it stands now I don’t think we can accelerate.”
He told the reporter that he did not regret starting the movement. Why should he? As he finalises preparations for a long global jaunt, he shed crocodile tears for “the poor and uneducated Indians who will come to hate the government even more, and may resort to violence.” It is they who must regret the movement! He only felt sorry for them as he worried about that consequence “when Hindraf fails.”
“We have to close the chapter. There may be a new chapter, but we may not be part of the next chapter. I know eventually we would fail,” he declared. Later, Waytha Moorthy issued a long ‘rejoinder’ which actually amounted to a confirmation of the AP report. Without denying what was attributed to him, Moorthy alleged that the journalist “had blown out of proportion a small portion of the interview to mean I am giving up the struggle.” He categorically declared, “I will continue to lead HINDRAF even if I’m on the move throughout the world!”
On top of all the harm his mercenary outfit had inflicted upon India-Malaysia relations and its disservice to Indian Diaspora, he got philosophical and obfuscated, “My answer was, even if we are fighting a losing battle, we will continue with the battle because not all battles are meant to be won. Great warriors do not worry about dying in the battlefield. If we are meant to lose we will lose, so that someone else who take up the cause after us will win the war. If we loose after years of campaigning, so be it we will call it a day. No one organization (including HINDRAF) can ever claim we are here forever and will continue forever. Nothing is permanent in this world and it also applies to HINDRAF.”
His rejoinder virtually became a confession to reveal the mercenary nature of the outfit: “Yes, I did tell the Special Branch (Police) that if the government resolves at least the temple demolition issue and permanently gazettes all temples existing prior to independence I will keep my mouth shut and leave the public scene.” Waytha Moorthy repeated his statement, which he had given two years ago, commenting on the issue of temple demolition. He had then said, “Eventually, we too would fail the community; but I fear the outcome after that. At the moment devotees are crying and begging but eventually they would not plead and cry any more.”
So, the great leader of Hindraf will have some good time travelling throughout “Europe, United Nations in Geneva, America , Canada , Australia and New Zealand!” The lawyer will continue to wage a battle “to highlight the plight of the 70 per cent poor underclass Malaysian Indian society!” The savior may not get the promised booty of a million-dollars to each of them from UK because, after all “not all battles are meant to be won!” (Only the lawyers like him will emerge victorious in such suits!) The top echelons of the outfit too will eventually get released and go to UK somehow and share whatever ‘fate’ has stashed for them.
In the end, it will be the unluckiest of the gullible Malaysian Tamils who may be forced to sacrifice their career and life for the wellbeing of these manipulators. Already, 17 of the 69 caught in the ugly incident of November have ‘absconded’ and will probably have lost their stability.
As long as 70 per cent people day-dream that their kin can have equal status to that enjoyed by the remaining 30 per cent without first equipping themselves with skills, education, discipline and hard work, they will naturally be condemned to the bottom layer. Demolition of shrines, set up indiscriminately by immigrant labourers wherever they were deployed, is inevitable if they are now standing on somebody else’s property or land required for development work,. That cannot be challenged by indulging in hooliganism in the name of Gandhi or whoever. They must first learn to respect the law of the land and use channels available for claiming alternate site and redressal of legitimate grievances lawfully.
Malaysian Tamils will do well to make a start by identifying themselves as such – Malaysian Tamils – rather than harping on being ‘ethnic Indians’. Remembering the Tamil maxim ‘Every nation ours; everyone (in that society) our kin’, they can easily make themselves wanted and respected where they live. They will remain as stupid victims of unscrupulous outfits like the Hindu (i)con HINDRAF until this funda is imbibed.
Source: The Milli Gazette, Jan 1-15, 2008.