Waynamoorthy worried Thanenthiran taking Hindraf into BN?

On 01 December 2007 I posted my amateur effort of a poem titled 25 November 2007 which I dedicated to Hindraf.

Hindraf – that amazing people’s movement, who gave us that powerful mantra ‘Makkal Sakti’ that brought the divine winds and waves to will us into smashing the status quo of 50 years on 08 March 2008.

I walked on 25 November 2007
In the man-made acid showers
Which burnt my skin and those
Of my brothers and sisters too
But the chemically poisoned rain
Could not burnt away the tears
That’s in our hearts for 50 years
But merely fertilised our resolve

Through the thick fog of tear gas
We held our hands together and
Marched on to tell the world of
An unjust economic caste system
That places us at the very bottom
As menial pariahs, harijans, dalits
Oh, don’t be shy, take your pick
Any, each would still read our lot

Just like a fusion bomb, our ‘H’
Gave a mega blast to hitherto
Silent acquiescence and equally
Silent dismissal of our cries for
Help against cold cruel inequality
Are we nothing more than serfs
Slaves, sherpas to failed Hillary’s
Or as prêt-à-porter criminals?

The explosion of our H-synergy
Tore away masks of hypocrisy
Ripping to shreds the snow white
Fleece of ethnic wolves, howling
At black sheep not cukup Bersih
Not even of de facto human status
To merit the march in messianic
Footsteps to the Arc de Triomphe

I had also written about the sad saga of Indian Malaysians in The Toddy Syndrome and Malaysia's Economic Pariahs?, on issues which I have no doubt galvanised Hindraf into taking its fated Long March on 25 November 2007.

But they have paid a heavy prize.

While the leaders were detained under the ISA, and Waynamoorthy lives in exile abroad, the national coordinator was RS Thanethiran.

Waynamoorthy has been adamant that Hindraf should not become political and remain a NGO, as a pressure group, to look after Indian affairs, whilst it reserves the right to support any political party which promotes the well-being of Indian Malaysians.

But Thanethiran is known to harbour ambitions in forming a new Indian-based political party.

I have been following Thanethiran’s statements very carefully and note that in The Malaysian Insider news article Chennai talks to decide Hindraf’s future he condemned PKR and DAP, particularly the latter.

Thanenthiran stated that Hindraf has been taken for a ride by opposition political parties like PKR and especially the DAP, though he didn’t explain how he came to that bizarre conclusion nor provide any examples.

Contrary to what he claimed, the DAP has been and still is the natural party for Indian Malaysians. First headed by Devan Nair till today’s national chairperson, Karpal Singh, the DAP has shown it is the only non-Indian based party that sets Indian Malaysians way up high.

Other than Nair, Karpal and now his sons, there were Patto and Peter Dason that I’ve heard of. Today we have Prof Rama (Deputy CM of Penang), Kulasegaran, Santiago, Manogaran and more.

To be fair to Khalid Ibrahim of PKR, MB of Selangor, he and his exco have been looking after the Indians in Selangor, more than ever in the entire 50 years of BN rule in that State.

So why has Thanenthiran condemned the only two parties which are looking after the welfare of Indians.

He said: “If we want to remain credible and fight for Indian rights the best option is to form into a political party and get the best from anybody for the Indians. This is the best option open to us.”

above underlining is mine

This is my take on Thanenthiran.

Like Enzo Bearzot in the final stages of the World Cup in 1982, Thanenthiran is beginning to entertain very very ambitious dreams. He knows that MIC is dysfunctional with BN losing confidence in the Indian-based party to perform.

BN needs an effective Indian component to wrap up the Indian votes to provide the vital tilt towards the BN in 2013, in places like, for example, Sungai Siput, Bukit Selambau.

Thanenthiran’ words suggest he wants to represent the Indians in BN by replacing MIC.

Just review his words:

(1) Hindraf has been taken for a ride by opposition political parties like PKR and especially the DAP.

Would this be a pre-emtive strike to clear his path into BN, and to also endear himself to Najib?

(2) If we want to remain credible and fight for Indian rights the best option is to form into a political party and get the best from anybody for the Indians.

I think it's obvious here who 'anybody' is, especially after his condemnation of PKR and DAP.

(3) We have to chart a new course for Hindraf or it will become irrelevant.

Joining the BN will most certainly be 'charting a new course'. In fact it'll be a radical about-turn.

I wonder whether his ambitions could be the reason Waynamoorthy had recently (and dramatically) replaced the movement’s coordinators, including Thanenthiran.

Waythamoorthy told Malaysiakini that coordinators and other Hindraf leaders who were interested in forming a political party (who other than Thanenthiran?) would be advised to temporarily detach themselves from Hindraf, to protect Hindraf from allegations that it is converting into a political party.

And since Waynamoorthy instructed his followers to support Pakatan Rakyat recently in Bukit Selambau, which political party do you think he wanted to protect Hindraf from? Yes, why did he remove Thanenthiran as a national coordinator?

Let's see what will be the outcome of Hindraf talks in Chennai, especially between Waynamoorthy and Thanenthiran. Will Thanenthiran be as successful as Enzo Bearzot was in 1982?