MIC’s G Kumar Amaan launched a hunger strike on Thursday, which he vowed to continue “until his last breath” because he was willing to die for the Indian community.
His fast was called off the next day - less than 30 hours after he began.
Instead of drawing support, the short-lived hunger strike garnered ridicule, which observers claim highlighted MIC’s irrelevance to the Indian community.
Sharing his opinion on this, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) secretary-general S Arutchelvan said that the Indian community has other more pressing issues to be concerned with.
“Did the Indians come out in droves to support the strike? It didn’t seem that way,” he told Malaysiakini.
This, he said, reflected their disinterest in the woes afflicting the party, which detractors have long accused of failing to represent the community effectively.
“I think the Indian community has more important issues to deal with, such as (securing) their daily income,” he pointed out, adding that the hunger strike did not serve any purpose for their betterment.
However, Arutchelvan disagreed with MIC deputy president Dr S Subramaniam who described hunger strikes negatively, claiming that it is a practice imported from India.
The PSM leader said such strikes are a “powerful weapon”, provided that it is used for a cause that has great impact for the people.
Different leagues
As for Kumar citing Mahatma Gandhi as his inspiration for the hunger strike, Arutchelvan stressed that the two are in different leagues.
“If you look at Gandhi and his ideals, his hunger strike saw the whole nation backing him and even his adversaries were concerned for his health.
“It was a powerful weapon to fight the colonial powers, and it was a non-violent action which showed the strength of numbers,” he said.
Kumar (left), who was appointed as secretary-general by MIC president G Palanivel, kicked off his hunger strike outside the Registrar of Societies (ROS) headquarters in Putrajaya two days ago.
He had demanded the removal of ROS director-general and his investigation officers, blaming them for the party’s current re-election woes.
The ROS, which has refused to recognise Kumar’s appointment, had ordered the party to re-elect its vice-presidents and central working committee (CWC) members.
However, the hunger strike was called off yesterday after Kumar was instructed by his boss, Palanivel, to end it.
Source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/287224
His fast was called off the next day - less than 30 hours after he began.
Instead of drawing support, the short-lived hunger strike garnered ridicule, which observers claim highlighted MIC’s irrelevance to the Indian community.
Sharing his opinion on this, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) secretary-general S Arutchelvan said that the Indian community has other more pressing issues to be concerned with.“Did the Indians come out in droves to support the strike? It didn’t seem that way,” he told Malaysiakini.
This, he said, reflected their disinterest in the woes afflicting the party, which detractors have long accused of failing to represent the community effectively.
“I think the Indian community has more important issues to deal with, such as (securing) their daily income,” he pointed out, adding that the hunger strike did not serve any purpose for their betterment.
However, Arutchelvan disagreed with MIC deputy president Dr S Subramaniam who described hunger strikes negatively, claiming that it is a practice imported from India.
The PSM leader said such strikes are a “powerful weapon”, provided that it is used for a cause that has great impact for the people.
Different leagues
As for Kumar citing Mahatma Gandhi as his inspiration for the hunger strike, Arutchelvan stressed that the two are in different leagues.
“If you look at Gandhi and his ideals, his hunger strike saw the whole nation backing him and even his adversaries were concerned for his health.
“It was a powerful weapon to fight the colonial powers, and it was a non-violent action which showed the strength of numbers,” he said.
Kumar (left), who was appointed as secretary-general by MIC president G Palanivel, kicked off his hunger strike outside the Registrar of Societies (ROS) headquarters in Putrajaya two days ago.He had demanded the removal of ROS director-general and his investigation officers, blaming them for the party’s current re-election woes.
The ROS, which has refused to recognise Kumar’s appointment, had ordered the party to re-elect its vice-presidents and central working committee (CWC) members.
However, the hunger strike was called off yesterday after Kumar was instructed by his boss, Palanivel, to end it.
Source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/287224
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