YOURSAY 'If Hindraf is confident of their support for their 'Indian only' platform, please take their blueprint and demands to BN.'

Hindraf is no longer the force they were

your say SS Dhaliwal: The Indians in the estate were screwed a long time ago but not by Umno but by the British who paid them meagre daily salaries, who in return would squander it in a British-owned toddy shop.

Little attention was paid to their educational needs, on the contrary they were discouraged from educating their children in order to perpetuate the vicious cycle of poverty and ignorance.

Once the British left and BN inherited the country, it was left to MIC to uplift the social and economic standing of the estate workers.

However, little was done to undo the past misdeeds of the British, often deliberately for the political longevity of Indian politicians who would rather suppress them in order to rule.

The estates were then developed and the estate workers were mercilessly put on the streets without any compensation.

This travesty and injustice along with the deliberate suppression and oppression of the Indian poor will continue unless we pool our resources together and vote BN out.

Jiminy Qrikert: Hindraf has no more issues to ransom Pakatan Rakyat with. Now, Indians will just have to choose - Pakatan for all Malaysians or Hindraf for Indians only.

If Hindraf is confident of their support for their 'Indian only' platform, please take the blueprint and demands to BN. Stop harassing Pakatan.

Up2U: Sorry Hindraf. We already have Malay special rights enshrined in our constitution and bumiputra privileges incorporated in the New Economic Policy (NEP) and what not.

Now Hindraf want Indians to have special privileges and you start this with a demand for Pakatan to hand several parliamentary and state seats for Hindraf to contest. Go direct this demand to BN and MIC.

Progressive: Indians, like the natives in West and East Malaysia, have legacy issues dating from colonial times. The natives have no land title. So you deny them their own land?

Thousands of Indians gave birth in the interior of estates after risking their lives to open jungles and enrich the nation. No birth certificate. So they are stateless.

The estates they have worked for and died for few generations are made into Putrajaya and Shah Alam. And they are kicked out without a cent, without a roof over their head and suddenly their 150-year temple is deemed an "illegal temple."

The Pakatan manifesto talks about Chinese schools, Felda, Orang Asli. Good. Why not one sentence, "We will resolve legacy Indian issues within the five years of a Pakatan federal government."

A Chinese or Malay demand is not racial, but an Indian demand is always racial.

Retnam: No matter how one looks at it, Hindraf does not have the support base to win even one seat in the GE13. So they are desperate.

They want Pakatan to help them win seats. They are so adamant about winning a parliament seat that they are willing to sacrifice the welfare of the Indians.

Ranjit Singh: We know what BN and MIC represent and that is why we voted for Pakatan in GE12, but now Pakatan is playing the same game. So why is it wrong to question them?

Isn't this what democracy is all about or we ignore the issues brought forward by Hindraf?

Anonymous #19098644: Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran, we salute you for your continued and unflagging championship of justice and fairness for all races and not just one ethnic group.

Your comprehensive and excellent analysis of the role of Indian leaders in the opposition as well as NGOs and the present positioning and contribution of Hindraf is insightful.

Think Write: The powers-that-be must get out of their denial syndrome. They have to stop denying that the poor are beginning to speak up and that this is irreversible.

They must accept that the expectations of the people cannot be bottled up anymore. The likes of those who do not quite belong to the category of the poor and marginalised are increasing, as more and more become aware of what is really happening and why.

No matter that the poor may still be inarticulate, the numbers who are speaking up for them are increasing and are doing so increasingly fearlessly. The process is set. You cannot put the genie back into the bottle.

Comrade In Arms: Go back to the 60s when Indian parents sent their children to schools which were English-based. They mixed with the Chinese and the Malays. They did quite well.

Let the Indians mix with the other races. The good and positive qualities of the other races will be inculcated into them and vice versa. Give another 10 to 15 years, you will see a new breed of Indians.

Their mindset will change, which will be more technological and sports based. The negative influence of Tamil movies will be lessened. I know it is tough decision, but close all Tamil and race-based schools.

Magnus: From John F Kennedy's inaugural speech, Jan 20, 1961:

"All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. Nor will it be finished in the first 1,000 days, nor in the life of this administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin."

Hindraf, Indians not the only ones marginalised

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Is Kulasegaran upping the ante as a proxy for Pakatan?