Amnesty row: Mohan urged to reveal stand

Perak MIC leader and state assembly speaker R Ganesan implies that the Youth chief is the hidden hand behind the voices of discontent.

PETALING JAYA: MIC Youth chief T Mohan has been urged to make public his stand on the dispute surrounding the readmission of several sacked party members.

Responding to a report filed with the Registrar of Societies (ROS) over the matter by youth secretary C Shivarraajjh, Perak MIC leader R Ganesan implied that Mohan was the hidden hand.

“He should come forward to make his stand openly on the issue since his secretary has gone against the decision of the elected CWC (central working committee) and interest of party members.

“Everyone knows who is behind Shivarraajjh,” added the Perak state legislative assembly speaker.

On Friday, Shivarraajjh filed the report with the Selangor ROS, stating that the CWC’s decision to readmit the sacked members and reinstate them to their former positions contravened the party constitution.

Among those reinstated were Youth deputy chief V Mugilan, CWC members KP Samy and G Kumar Amaan as well as Petaling Jaya division chief V Subramaniam.

The four, sacked by former president S Samy Vellu last year, were instrumental in the formation of the now-defunct Gerakan Anti-Samy Vellu or GAS.

Samy Vellu’s successor G Palanivel had resolved to offer them an amnesty in order to re-unite the different factions. The CWC later endorsed this after a heated debate.

‘President is trying his best’

Meanwhile, Ganesan backed Palanivel on his reunification efforts, saying the president was trying his best to introduce inclusive policies at every level and prepare MIC for the next general election.

“His readiness to bring back sacked members and office bearers is welcomed by the Indian community,” he said, adding that those who opposed it were backward thinkers with ulterior motives.

Ganesan said that it was important for all quarters in MIC to view this development positively in the interest of Barisan Nasional.

“Reconciliation and strengthening MIC should be of utmost importance, only then will MIC be relevant to the Indian community,” he added.

Commenting further on Shivarraajjh’s action, Ganesan asked why the former had used the national youth’s official letterhead to send a press statement when he claimed to have acted in his own capacity as a branch youth leader.

“Questioning the decision of elected CWC members by an ordinary youth branch leader and appointed national youth secretary is similar to questioning the wisdom of party delegates since they elected the CWC members, who are the highest decision-making body in the party,” he said.

Ganesan also urged the president to have a balanced representation of youth leaders from other states in the national youth council.

Currently, he said, the council was over-represented by those from Selangor, particularly those from the Puchong division such as Mohan and Shivarraajjh.

“There is an urgent need to empower and mobilise youths from various states to face the next general election,” he added.

Mohan bites back

Contacted later, Mohan told FMT that unlike some leaders in the party, he was not an apple polisher.

“Every CWC member, including Ganesan, knows my stand on this issue. As for Shivarraajjh, he has the right to voice his views as an ordinary member and we have to respect that right,” he said.

“When the decision to sack them was made, the same CWC member Ganesan backed it, but now because he wants positions and a seat in the general election, he sings a different tune,” he added.