Scuffles erupt, MIC leader's car attacked

 

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Pandemonium erupted outside the MIC headquarters as the party's Central Working Committee (CWC) members exited the building after an emergency meeting this evening.

A crowd swarmed a blue BMW believed to be that of CWC member G Kumar Amman, kicking and punching it, forcing the police's Light Strike Force personnel to form a barricade to escort the vehicle out.

The MIC leader is said to be aligned to party president G Palanivel.

Palanivel himself was mobbed by angry MIC members while exiting the meeting room and later as he headed towards his car amid shouts of "Resign" and "We want a re-election".

Also shoved and shouted at was MIC disciplinary committee chairperson KS Nijhar, who is a close associate of Palanivel.

In another incident, former Youth chief SA Vigneswaran became embroiled in a scuffle with an unidentified member.

Various scuffles also took place at the scene.

MIC has been split over the Registrar of Societies (ROS) directive for the party to hold a re-election.

Earlier, as the CWC convened its meeting at 2pm, the atmosphere outside was already tense with some 500 members having gathered, many of whom called on Palanivel to step down.

There was also a huge banner fastened to the overpass facing the MIC headquarters, bearing a photograph of Palanivel with the words 'Please step down', with smaller banners with a similar message put up in the vicinity as well.

There were also banners in support of the embattled president.

Some 100 MIC members also held a protest march near the building against the holding of the CWC meeting, calling it "invalid" since the committee members are not recognised by the ROS.

At one point, as an MIC member addressed the crowd with a loudhailer, party strategy director S Vell Paari shouted at him from a window on the first floor, where the meeting was held.

"Stop talking on the loudhailer. There is a meeting going on here," Vell Paari thundered.

The ROS nullified the elections for the three vice-presidents and 23 CWC posts held during the party's general assembly in Malacca last November.

Last week, Palanivel said the meeting would discuss "some uncertainties" in the ROS letter.