Citizen

The struggle of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) is different now compared to when it started some 10 months ago under the leadership of the five who are currently under Internal Security Act (ISA) detention, said the wives of two leaders today.

Dr M Kalaivani and B Buvaneswary, the wives of K Kenghadharan and V Ganabatirau, respectively, said they were not comfortable with the direction in which the movement has taken.

Speaking at a press conference in Kelana Jaya, Kalaivani said aside from the goal of obtaining the release of the Hindraf leaders, what is of utmost importance is that the Indian community's problems are alleviated.

Both these goals can be affected without rallies planned by those now coordinating Hindraf activities.

On the contrary, they said the rallies may actually serve to harm the chances of the five's release.

"What I know from my husband, the struggle was different in the beginning and it seems to have taken a different turn at the present moment. I was not involved in Hindraf at all so I cannot comment on what their principles were," said Kalaivani.

"(But) from what we see in the present leadership, we’re not very comfortable with it," she added.

Citing plans by Hindraf to gather 10,000 people at Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's Hari Raya open house later next month, she said this would serve as a form of ‘intimidation’ rather than anything else.

Asked if her husband insisted on supporting the movement along such lines in the even he is released, Kalaivani said she would not support him.

"I feel that there are a lot of ways to help the community. You would have to ask my husband, but ... I would not support him if this is how the struggle is going to be.

"I personally feel there is a lot of other ways to continue helping the community, and this we would definitely do.

"If fact, I might even join him to do it together (if he chooses other means of helping the Indian community)," she said.