KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 -
Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P. Waytha Moorthy last night accused ISA detainee T. Vasanthakumar and two others of being government plants after several movement members met the prime minister in the Permatang Pauh by-election.
The London-based Waytha Moorthy claimed the trio were trying to break up the movement and turn it into a pro-Barisan Nasional outfit."It came to my attention in January 2008 that Vasanthakumar has been planted by the Police Special Branch to infiltrate Hindraf," said Waytha Moorthy in a statement, adding two top government officials had confirmed it.
Vasanthakumar is one of five Hindraf leaders being detained at the Kamunting camp in Perak after the movement held a mammoth protest claiming the government had sidelined Indians. Their arrests and detentions swung the traditional Indian vote to the opposition and helped deny BN's customary two-thirds parliamentary majority.
The latest claims could split the group further as it remains leaderless locally with Waytha Moorthy's self-imposed exile and detention of the other leaders.
Waytha Moorthy named the other two collaborators as V.K. Regu and Ramachandran Meyappan @ Ramaji who is Hindraf spiritual advisor."V.K.Regu though was a pro tem secretary of Hindraf but was removed personally by me in October 2008 for undertaking activities against the interests of Hindraf," Waytha Moorthy said.
He added Ramaji was made spiritual advisor after the five were detained under the Internal Security Act but recent events had shown that both Ramaji and Regu have met Vasanthakumar secretly in the detention camp."
They had colluded to break up HINDRAF and take over the registration of Hindraf as anorganisation.He also alleged that Ramaji and Regu had various secret and unauthorised meetings with thePrime Ministers Department, the PM's private secretary and top MICleaders over the last five months."
Today's events now clear that all their activities thus far is to break up Hindraf and take over the leadership of Hindraf together withVasanthakumar upon his release from ISA.He said he would not be surprised if the authorities approve the movement but it would be led by the trio and MIC proxies "so that the unity and power that Hindraf has displayed under the Makkal Sakti would be permanently be damaged and shattered"."
As the Chairman of this organisation I take full responsibility for the damage caused to the divine struggle of this organisation and extend my sincere apologies to all our supporters," Waytha Moorthy said.
He also called the gathering in Seberang Jaya an insult, saying the the splinter group planned it in a Chinese temple without authorisationPolice arrested eight Hindraf leaders who staged a protest against the a splinter group which had attracted some 200 people for a bonfire prayer.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi met the members briefly and shook their hands as he was in the vicinity for the Permatang Pauh by-election campaign.
