KUALA LUMPUR: A group of 96 Indian non-governmental organisations want the Government to release the five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders detained before Deepavali next month.
They said it would be the best gift to the Indian community if the five €“ M. Manoharan, P. Uthayakumar, V. Ganabatirau, R. Kenghadharan and K. Vasanthakumar €“ detained for 268 days under the Internal Security Act (ISA) were released.
At a meeting organised by the MIC Youth, they said they supported the appeal made by MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to free them.
Abdullah had agreed to consider the appeal and had promised to discuss the matter with Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.
MIC Youth chief T. Mohan said: “We are asking for their release on humanitarian grounds. This is not politically motivated.”
Mohan said that the five had been punished enough and should be allowed to return to their families to celebrate Deepavali this year.
“We are confident that the Indian community would support the MIC if the five were released,” he said.
Malaysian Indian Youth Council president S. Rajaratnam said there was no strong basis for the Government to continue to detain the five.
He said the Government should charge the five in a court of law if they had enough evidence.
- The Sta
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