In Ramayana , the ancient Sankrit epic, the poet Valmiki narrates the wondrous adventures and travails of Prince Rama and his wife, Princess Sita. Of the many villainous characters found in this Hindu masterpiece, the Indian masses hold their greatest contempt for Queen Kaikeyi, the third wife of King Dasaratha and a stepmother of Princess Rama.

Even though Rama showered her with as much love as his own mother, the cold-hearted and treacherous Kaikeyi conspires to get Rama banished to the forest for 14 bitter years in order to make way for her own son Prince Baratha to be installed as the next king. Even Ravana, the ten-headed Demon King of Lanka who kidnaps and then attempts to marry Sita forcibly, does not attract such collective revulsion from the Hindus.

In the local context, the same parallel can be alluded to Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) ungrateful behaviour toward Indians and Hindraf post-March 8 political tsunami . Like a banana leaf after a hearty South Indian meal, the Indians and their plight were quickly discarded and forgotten by PR.

Author Kee Chuan Thye has dubbed March 8 as ‘the day Malaysia woke up’. But Kee was wrong as far as the Indian Malaysians were concerned as this community woke up, after decades of slumber, much earlier on Nov 25, 2007, when some 30,000 Indians from various strata of the society, from lorry drivers to professionals, gathered in Kuala Lumpur to highlight their plight.

It was unprecedented and unexpected, coming from a community long known for its docile and unquestionable obedience to and a fear of the authority.

During the 12 ^th general election, the sentiments of the Indians were skillfully captured, channeled and translated into votes for PR at the ballot box. Posters of Anwar Ibrahim in the costume of the popular South Indian movie star Rajni Kanth adorned the walls and streetlights in Indian-majority areas from Perlis to Johor.

PR's ceramah paraded the leaders of Hindraf who exhorted the voters to vent their anger for the ruling Barisan Nasional and the MIC by voting for PR candidates even if the candidates were from the avowedly theocratic PAS.

It is now commonly acknowledged that the massive swing in Indian votes had a key role in helping PR in winning five states and denying BN a two-thirds majority in parliament.

After delivering their part of the bargain, it was only fair that the Indians expected PR to fulfill their promises made during the GE, especially when the coalition rules five states that have the most number of Indians in the country.

The early signs were positive with Prof P Ramasamy being made the first ever deputy chief minister (for Penang) and parliament witnessing a record number of Indian MPs. But within weeks, the early mood of joy turned to into disappointment and later, to despair and anger.

During the pre-election period, Hindraf was cheered and celebrated as representing the silent voice of a marginalised community. But post-March 8, they were suddenly being labeled as a ‘racist’ and ‘extremist’ group that does not fit into the so-called multi-ethnic set-up of PR.

Hindraf leaders were shocked by the chameleon-like behaviour of Indian PR leaders, who switched their loyalty from Hindraf to their respective political masters after getting elected. Instead of using their newly-found authority and positions to help their community, these Pakatan Indian MPs are busy consolidating their positions and looking after their personal interests.

PR's lip service in getting the Hindraf five released and its failure in fulfilling their electoral promises, except for some token gestures, have incensed the supporters of Hindraf and the Indians who voted for them with high expectations. Even within the state governments and local councils, the Indians were only given minor positions and often treated as fourth-class citizens.

The recent actions of the Kapar MP, S Manikavasagam, far from being selfish or a childish attempt to seek cheap publicity, in reality is a manifestation of the deep frustrations and betrayal that the Indian community feels over the Kaikeyian action of the PR and its leaders.

The subsequent derogatory and insulting comments and accusations leveled by leaders and supporters of PR on Manikavasagam and Hindraf have further inflamed the community's anger.

The Indian community will not easily forget or forgive this betrayal and the same Makkal Sakthi that helped Pakatan in 2008 will be their nemesis the next time.