600 gather at Batu Caves for fuss-free show of devotion

 

Some of the Hindu devotees who gathered at Batu Caves for a peaceful response to a recent video by a Moroccan social influencer.

PETALING JAYA: Some 600 Hindus congregated at Batu Caves today for a devotional gathering in response to foreign social media influencers accused of insulting the faith.

In a statement, Swashna Subramaniam, who led the singing of the religious song, said the gathering was held to show that prayers could be “done in a peaceful manner without courting controversies.”

The event was co-organised by Rajeswary Apahu and volunteers from Hindu Volunteers Movement.

Some of those at the gathering came all the way from Kedah and Singapore, according to S Shashi Kumar, who heads the Global Human Rights Federation, a local NGO.

Shashi had recently criticised a Moroccan YouTuber who courted controversy with a video of him reciting Quranic verses at Batu Caves, in front of a Hindu idol.

There must be mutual respect at all places of worship. “Only then, we can live in peace and harmony,” he said in a statement.

The Moroccan content creator, Abdellatif Ouisa, has since apologised, saying he thought Batu Caves was a historic site rather than a religious one. He said he did not know the 42m-tall statue was of the Hindu deity Lord Murugan.

However, Abdellatif’s apology was described as “lame and unacceptable” by Shashi.

Shashi said there had been two other cases where foreigners recited Quranic verses at Batu Caves, attacking non-Muslims. -FMT