Waythamoorthy to continue hunger strike

He will stop fasting if Prime Minister Najib agrees to endorse the Hindraf blueprint at a meeting slated for tomorrow noon at Putrajaya.

RAWANG: A three-man delegation from Hindraf Makkal Sakti will meet Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in Putrajaya on Monday at 12 noon for talks on the civil rights movement’s five-year blueprint alright.

But that does not mean Hindraf supremo P Waythamoorthy would end his hunger strike, which had completed 14 days. Neither would Hindraf throw its support to Barisan Nasional automatically.

Waythamoorthy today insisted that he would continue with his hunger virutham (hunger strike) until either political blocks – Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat, or both, endorsed Hindraf’s blueprint in writing.

He said Hindraf would meet the prime minister tomorrow to seek his written endorsement to implement permanent solutions as manifested in its blueprint for the marginalised Indians.

“We won’t settle for piece-meal solutions,” a resolute Waythamoorthy told FMT.

He is fasting in a Hindu temple here to compel BN and Pakatan to endorse its blueprint designed to uplift the downtrodden segment of ethnic Indians. He has been surviving only by drinking plain water and is physically weak.

Najib’s meeting with the Hindraf delegation – Waythamoorthy, his deputy W Sambulingam and the movement advisor N Ganesan – could be a crucial twist to the premier’s political plot to regain lost ethnic Indian electorate ground in the forthcoming general election.

No prime minister-cum-BN chairman-cum-Umno president has ever agreed to hold official talks with Hindraf anyway.

Just five years ago, BN federal government outlawed Hindraf for reasons best known to Putrajaya administration.

Prior to that, Putrajaya revoked Waythamoorthy’s passport, forcing him to live in Britain for four years under political asylum.

But things changed after Najib took over the premiership from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2009.

Shortly after becoming the prime minister, Najib released the detained Hindraf activists under the now repealed Internal Security Act from Kamunting Detention Centre.

In July this year, Najib issued Waythamoorthy a valid Malaysian passport, allowing the Hindraf leader to return home. Two months ago, his government lifted the banned on Hindraf.

Now he wants to meet Hindraf officials to deliberate on the blueprint.

Ganesan told FMT that Najib’s invitation to Hindraf on March 22 for talks clearly showed that he recognised the movement as a powerful voice for the voiceless ethnic Indian working class.

Pakatan’s lost
Meanwhile, many Hindraf supporters and well-wishers have been visiting the ailing Waythamoorthy at the temple.

Some advised him to end his fast while others hailed him as hero for sacrificing his life for the ethnic Indian cause.

Among them were M Meenachi and K Kanimoli from Simpang Ampat, Penang, and T Saroja and M Punitha from Baling, Kedah.

They all supported Waythamoorthy’s hunger strike, saying that political parties cannot go on sweeping issues crippling the marginalised Indians under the carpet.

They said virtually all Indians have been affected by racism in both public and private sectors.

Given both BN and Pakatan failed to endorse Hindraf’s blueprint until today, they and other family members would abstain from the next election.

“We will support whoever endorses the Hindraf blueprint,” avowed the four ladies, who all voted for Pakatan in the last election.

A 65-year-old visitor, who wants to be named only as Ragu, said he and seven other family members have always voted for DAP in Rasah constituency.

But, he said Waythamoorthy’s hunger strike had made him realise that DAP was a chauvinistic party draped in a multi-racial veil.

“Why should we now give our votes to DAP?” he asked.

Observers insisted that if Najib takes the bold step to endorse Hindraf’s blueprint and vowed to implement permanent solutions to end working class Indian plight, BN could regain its traditional parliamentary two-thirds.

“Pakatan will be finished,” some said.