About 200 Hindu devotees staged a peaceful gathering at the Attorney-General's office in Putrajaya yesterday to protest the continued demolition of Hindu temples in the country.

According to Hindu Action Rights Force (Hindraf) chairperson P Waythamoorthy, the group comprising of temple representatives and NGOs, gathered inside the lobby of the AG's headquarters at 2.45pm.

The group then silently unfurled four large banners denouncing the demolition of temples by the authorities and urged the AG to prosecute those involved.

However, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail was overseas and could not attend to the crowd, nor were the Solicitor-General and head of criminal prosecution available, said Waythamoorthy.

"Initially, all they had was a public relations officer to receive our protest note which would defeat the purpose. We needed to speak to at least a deputy public prosecutor to convey our grievances," Waythamoorthy told malaysiakini.

Eventually, after intervention by the Putrajaya district police, special officer to the Solicitor-General Ilham Abdul Kader ( left in photo ) received the protest note from the group.

"We told her that we have approached the AG-Chambers numerous times on this matter and we want to know their position... should a single temple be demolished again, we will gather here again with double the numbers," said Waythamoorthy.

The gathering which lasted one and a half hour, was sparked by the latest demolishment of the Sri Kaliaman Hindu temple in the Midland Estate in Shah Alam on June 13.

Rough shot with impunity

In the protest note, Waythamoorthy said on behalf of Hindraf that Abdul Gani had failed in his duties of initiating criminal proceedings against those who destroy or defile places of worship, an offence under section 295 of the Penal Code.

"As the guardian and custodian of the Malaysian Federal Constitution, law, order and public interest in community, the AG has been allowing the majoritarian Malay Muslim might to ride with rough shot with impunity," he said.

The note requested that the AG respond to why he has yet to prosecute those who destroy temples within 30 days. Hindraf would make future announcements should the AG fail to respond within the stipulated period.

Over the past year, Hindraf has recorded 76 cases of temple demolitions which they claim to be illegal.

This has prompted lawyer P Uthayakumar, in representing two-million Hindus in the country, to initiate a public interest suit against 10 government bodies to stop temple demolitions nationwide.

In his suit, Uthayakumar had named all menteri besars' and chief ministers, except for Kelantan and Penang, as first respondents while all mayors and local council presidents were named as second respondents.

He has also filed an injunction against any such demolitions until the case has been disposed of. The matter is currently pending in court.