It has been more than a week since the mass Indian Malaysian rally in the streets of Kuala Lumpur. As the dust settles, some begin to ponder how far we have come after all these years of being together. Has religious chauvinism become the clarion call of Umno’s younger leaders?

The population would have expected that they do better than their forefathers by crossing frontiers, going where none of their kin would have treaded into for the fear of losing support. They should have better understood their Chinese and Indian neighbours and their way of life. Instead, they chose to pit one religious belief against the other and see which has the state's endorsement.

The constant and blatant demolition of Hindu temples was the beginning of an opposition towards what one would see as religious chauvinism. Temples are the only place for Indian Malaysians to propagate the Hindu faith. Practices, rituals and devotion to the deities which form the path to the almighty is something they cannot do without.

If a temple is demolished after another, no right-minded community will be able to keep quiet and accept their fate. The very core was ignited and they all came in droves, answering the call to stand up and ask the government to stop the nonsense and bullying. The government is a government for all Malaysians. Indian Malaysians, the most ardent Barisan Nasional supporters, came to the streets and rallied because the government was not listening.

All state governments and local councils should designate a plot of land to Indians for their places of worship. The government should be serious enough to implement this instead of just paying plain lip service to the Indians that the Umno-led Barisan government cares for their welfare. It is no use for the government to help ethnic Indians through the MIC.

The government should do it without the involvement of political parties. The main reason for MIC’s failure in helping the Indians quest for their rights to religious freedom and worship is due to its leaders inability to voice the growing dissent within the Indian community. One thing leads to another and hence the mass rally.

The mainstream media does not help. From the first page to the last, it is nothing but government propaganda. Many are now beginning to realise how much we can save by not subscribing to the mainstream media. If the Umno-led government is a responsible government, it would have stopped its MPs and chief ministers from supporting the demolition of Hindu temples and shrines without proper discourse with the locals.

Having already been marginalised in rapid developments that seem to be centered towards the needs of one race, the Indian masses will naturally answer the call to rally from any group who says that they should question the government and seek answers for the blatant demolitions.

The government seems to be allowing religious fanaticism and chauvinism amongst the Malays to fester. In turn, it becomes political when leaders begin to question the norms of other minority communities. If the government makes a point to gazette Hindu and Buddhist temples in all villages, towns and cities in the country, allocate land for it and allow an elected committee to run the places of worship, things will be more orderly for everyone to accept.

If questions regarding the crucifix still adorning former missionary schools are still asked, then we have failed in race relations and unity. One would expect the younger generation of Umno leaders to better understand the Chinese and Indian Malaysians and see how we can live in harmony. But sadly, many young Umno leaders seem very chauvinistic in their thinking.

The government has to be fair and straight with the Indian Malaysians. If it does not want us in this country anymore, it should be plainly said. Give us a plan as to what and how the government wants us to live in the years to come. Until then, with open favouritism and discrimination that has become part and parcel of Malaysian life, the question of equality will always arise.