War drums beating in MIC

The party's youth wing angrily tells officials to apologise for asking their leader to quit.

PETALING JAYA: MIC Youth today threatened war on the parent party’s information chief and another official unless they apologise for asking Youth chief C Sivarraajh to resign.

“We want the duo to apologise to Sivarraajh or be prepared for a war,” said MIC Youth information chief K Kesavan, speaking outside the party’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. He was flanked by the youth wing’s secretary, K Arvind, and a member of the MIC Central Working Committee (CWC), K Tharmakumaran.

The two men Kesavan was referring to are MIC information head L Sivasubramaniam (pix) and CWC member AK Ramalingam.

Yesterday, Sivasubramaniam told Sivarraajh to quit his post for failing to prevent a demonstration on Wednesday against KS Nijhar, who chairs the party’s disciplinary committee.

Ramalingam afterwards voiced his support for Sivasubramaniam’s statement.

About 200 MIC Youth members participated in the Wednesday protest. They were led by former youth wing councillor K Somasundram, whom Njihar sacked from MIC on May 13.

Kesavan said Sivarraajh could not be held responsible for any action of a former party member.

“It does not make sense to ask Sivarraajh to give instructions to a former party member,” he added.

Arvind alleged that the party leadership was biased against the youth wing, saying its leaders were targeted for censure much too often.

“Sivasubramaniam and Nijhar keep criticising the youth wing for no reason,” he said. “There is a case where a division chairman slapped a branch chairman, but no action has been taken to date. But when it comes to the youth wing, the disciplinary committee takes action against us almost immediately.”

Earlier, Kesavan’s group submitted a letter to the party leadership demanding “stern action” against Sivasubramaniam. The letter was received by MIC Executive Secretary SS Rajagopal.

‘Battle of cleansing’

Sivasubramaniam, Ramalingam and Nijhar have been the targets of bitter attacks through Facebook in the last 24 hours.

IP Punithan, the youth wing’s new media bureau head, sent out this message: “Good morning comrades! Its war time. A battle of cleansing. Stay strong and support the truth.”

The wing’s deputy chief, R Thinalan, reminded Sivasubramaniam he was merely an appointee of MIC President G Palanivel, unlike Sivarraajh, who was elected to his position.

“As for Ramalingam, it’s evident that he was wrongly elected,” he added.

He urged Palanivel to “get rid of such fools as provided for in the party constitution or else face the music of Youth power.”

Another netizen, S Sarkunakumaran, called on Sivasubramaniam to quit for making a “nonsensical statement”. The called has gained support from a large number of netizens, many of whom also called for Nijhar’s resignation.

A Facebook page known as Reform MIC contains this comment: “Red Card for Nijhar. Time to leave the party. OUT”.