Seafield temple demolition postponed again, following fresh protests

The demolition of the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in USJ 25, Subang Jaya, has been put off yet again, following fresh protests by devotees.

At the crack of dawn, dozens of devotees started converging at the temple's compound, after receiving social media messages that the temple was going to be demolished.

More than 100 policemen, including Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel, were also present at the location, after One City Development Sdn Bhd, which owns the land housing the purportedly 147-year-old temple, made preparations to demolish it.

However, the landowner agreed to postpone the demolition to Nov 22, after deliberating for more than two hours with the temple management and the Malaysia Hindu Sangam. Deputy Rural Development Minister R Sivarasa, as well as Senator T Mohan and Sentosa assemblyperson Gunaraj George, were also present.

"After discussions, the developer (One City) has agreed to postpone the demolition until Nov 22. I, together with Gunaraj, as representatives of the Pakatan Harapan (government), will also arrange a meeting with Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari before Nov 22," he told the devotees after the negotiations.

Sivarasa also confirmed that the temple’s management will henceforth, be taken over by a special task force, led by Hindraf activist "Ramaji", whose real name is M Ramachandran.

"After this, all decisions concerning to the temple will be made by the task force," added Sivarasa.

The temple is purported to have been constructed by Indian estate workers back in 1891, and a fig tree – considered sacred to Hindus – at the location, is said to be at least 147 years old.

The land housing the temple was, however, was bought over by One City Development in 2007.

In a statement, two days ago, the temple management's committee president KK Chellapa said that a bigger plot of land in USJ23 had been allocated to relocate the temple, and that One City had agreed to allocate RM1.5 million to rebuild it.

Chellapa said that in a consent judgment in 2014, all stakeholders, including rival claimant to the post of temple committee chief, M Nagaraj, had agreed for the temple to be relocated.

However, Nagaraj is currently on a hunger strike, claiming his grandfather had built the temple structure then, and several Indian NGOs have backed up his cause in calling for the temple to stay at its current location.

They have called on the state government to step in and save the temple, on a historical and religious basis.

Earlier today, the devotees fumed at Indian leaders, namely four ministers (Gobind Singh Deo, P Waythamoorthy, Dr Xavier Jeyakumar, and M Kulasegaran) and Selangor exco V Ganabathirau, for allegedly not speaking up in the matter.

The situation also became tense when several individuals in the group started accusing Chellapa of being a sell-out.

Speaking to the devotees later, Ramaji stressed that the task force will never ever give in.

"I would like to stress that we will never move out from here. Whatever happens, we will defend the temple," he said to applause from the crowd.

Source :https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/448990

Hindu hardliners defy court order, stop women entering temple in India

Conservative Hindu groups prevented women from entering an Indian hill temple on Wednesday, in defiance of India’s top court which says a centuries-long ban at the holy site is illegal.

Kerala’s industry minister EP Jayarajan told reporters that 10 journalists, five devotees and 15 police officers were attacked by protesters and 10 buses were damaged. Police have registered cases against more than 50 people, local media reported.

For centuries, the Sabarimala temple in Kerala state has banned women or girls older than 10, but that was judged illegal by India’s Supreme Court which ruled last month that it infringed the right to worship.

Kerala’s Communist government pledged to uphold the ruling and deployed some 500 police, including 100 women officers, to the site.

“Nobody will be allowed to prevent anybody. We will do everything possible to implement the law of the land,” said inspector-general of police Manoj Abraham. “None will be allowed to take the law into their hands.”

But while thousands of bare-chested men entered the temple with offerings of tumeric and incense when it opened at 5pm for the first time since the court decision, there were no signs of any women going in.

Footage from CNN News 18 showed police chasing protesters through dense forest near Nilakkal, the main entry point to the temple, which is about 18km further away. The protesters had been throwing stones, the channel reported.

PK Sanjeev of Dharma Sena, one of the main groups organising the protests, said they were happy women had been prevented from entering.

“We will not be deterred by the police high-handedness and will continue with the protests,” he told Reuters.

Hardline Hindu groups have threatened to commit mass suicide to prevent women from going to the temple, in what has become a focal point for the debate on women’s rights in India.

The groups, that include Shiv Sena, a former ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, say the prohibition on women “of menstrual age” is required to appease the temple’s chief deity, Ayyappan, depicted as a yoga-practising god considered eternally celibate by followers.

Kerala’s government said it would impose an emergency law for two days starting on Thursday, barring groups of more than four people assembling within a 30 km radius from the temple

Kerala’s tourism minister K Surendran appealed to protesters not to “convert this holy land into a battlefield”.

A family of four from Andhra Pradesh state, including at least one woman, were shielded by police after protesters shouting slogans prevented them from reaching the temple.

Protesters smashed the windows of a car carrying a female journalist from CNN News 18, footage from the channel showed.

“It was shocking that officers were there doing nothing,” the reporter, Radhika Ramaswamy, said. “Protesters had free rein, attacking our vehicle.”

PK Sanjeev of Dharma Sena, one of the main groups organising the protests, said they were happy women had been prevented from entering.

“We will not be deterred by the police high-handedness and will continue with the protests,” he told Reuters.

Hardline Hindu groups have threatened to commit mass suicide to prevent women from going to the temple, in what has become a focal point for the debate on women’s rights in India.

The groups, that include Shiv Sena, a former ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, say the prohibition on women “of menstrual age” is required to appease the temple’s chief deity, Ayyappan, depicted as a yoga-practising god considered eternally celibate by followers.

Kerala’s government said it would impose an emergency law for two days starting on Thursday, barring groups of more than four people assembling within a 30 km radius from the temple

Kerala’s tourism minister K Surendran appealed to protesters not to “convert this holy land into a battlefield”.

A family of four from Andhra Pradesh state, including at least one woman, were shielded by police after protesters shouting slogans prevented them from reaching the temple.

Protesters smashed the windows of a car carrying a female journalist from CNN News 18, footage from the channel showed.

“It was shocking that officers were there doing nothing,” the reporter, Radhika Ramaswamy, said. “Protesters had free rein, attacking our vehicle.”

Source : - Reuters

Indian actor wishes the best to 'beacon of hope' Anwar in PD polls

Indian film actor-turned-politician Kamal Hassan (above) has released a YouTube video, extending his best wishes to Pakatan Harapan candidate Anwar Ibrahim, for tomorrow's Port Dickson by-election.

In the one-minute, 46 second video uploaded yesterday, both in Tamil, and English, Kamal describes the PKR president-elect as an exemplary leader, and a beacon of hope.

The video starts: "I'm extremely happy to know that my friend Anwar Ibrahim has been released from unjust imprisonment, and has been granted a royal pardon. Bravo.

"In a global political climate that craves for exemplary leaders [...] who have the perfect understanding of the underdogs; Anwar is that perfect example, and a beacon of hope," he said.

Kamal then said Port Dickson has an opportunity "of writing a great chapter in the history of Malaysia, by bringing Anwar back to parliament, and to the nation, at large, where he deserves to be".

The actor also said that with Anwar's ascent to the top office of the country, Indian-Malaysian relationship is bound to grow stronger.

"On this occasion, I am glad to wish Anwar, and the people of Malaysia, the very best, as they embark upon this journey. My party, Makkal Neethi Maiyam (People's Justice Centre) also wishes them the very best in their political journey," he said.

Kamal, 63, is a veteran of the Tamil movie industry - having started his appearance as a child artist in the 1960s. Apart from acting, he also directs, produces, sings and writes lyrics, as well as screenplays.

He is the second biggest name in the Tamil cinema, after "Superstar" Rajnikanth.

In February this year, he started his political party, vowing it would be the first step towards the "people's rule".

This is not the first occasion that Tamil movie actors have been seen as acquainted with Malaysian political leaders.

Back in March 2017, Rajnikanth hosted former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak at his house in Chennai, during the latter's visit to India.

Najib had even posted a selfie he had taken with Rajnikanth, on his Twitter account then.

Najib also returned the favour in January this year, hosting Rajnikanth at his official residence in Putrajaya, when the latter was in Malaysia for a cultural show.

Source : https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/447051