Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy has turned the tables on MIC, saying its president S Subramaniam has brought politics into religion.

Ramasamy said Subramaniam only visited the Nattukotai Temple, which is run by foreigners, who organised the silver chariot.

Ramasamy was baffled that Subramaniam talked about spiritualism, when he allegedly did not practise it.

“What spiritualism is he talking about when he abandoned the Indians and supported the Chettiars who are foreigners?” Ramasamy asked.

“If he was a real leader he would have come to the Waterfall (Hilltop) temple, where a large Indian community congregated; he could have gone to both,” Ramasamy told Malaysiakini.

“He himself made everything political by just being present at the Chettiar temple, and defending the silver chariot,” he added.

Ramasamy was responding to Subramaniam’s Facebook post where he remarked that Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had made an inflammatory speech during the Thaipusam festival.

The Health Minister said he observed this when visiting Penang's Waterfall Temple yesterday but Ramasamy retorted, “he only visited the Chettiars”.

Subramaniam said he was welcomed not by beautiful religious songs but “jarring inflammatory and provocative political speeches” by the chief minister and deputy chief minister of Penang.

Subramaniam then remarked that Thaipusam is a religious function and its spirituality should be maintained.

He criticised the Penang Hindu Endowment Board (PHEB) for allegedly not providing such an environment.

The PHEB handles Hindu affairs, and plays a key role in organising the Thaipusam festivals in the state.

The PHEB, chaired by Ramasamy, who organised Thaipusam in the state, was at loggerheads with the Chettiars over the chariot issue.

With the assurance of police help, both parties agreed to settle the dispute when they decided to start the procession 90 minutes apart on Feb 8, the eve of Thaipusam.

Penang fighting efforts to federalise it

Ramasamy questioned why Subramaniam had criticised Lim over his speech.

“CM is fired up all because of Federal Teritories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor’s proposal to federalise Penang.

“We are the Penang government and we are fighting it, while Subramaniam is an a**-licker of Umno,” Ramasamy said.

Ramasamy said this Thaipusam was so much more glorious because of the overwhelming support for the Golden Chariot, which was organised by the PHEB.

He said people came in droves to see it and it stole the limelight from the silver chariot and the Nattukothai Vhettiar Temple.

“To make up for it, they had to invite Subramaniam. CM also went for their event,” he added.

But the crowd was mainly at the Hilltop temple, he said, where he gave speeches to explain why there was a need for the Golden chariot while Lim talked about Tengku Adnan’s proposal.

“I didn't say anything about the Chettiars. It was a joyous occasion for all.

“The Golden Chariot is an expression of what the local Hindus want, the Chettiar Temple is run by foreigners,” Ramasamy explained.

“It is shocking that a national leader cannot understand this.”

No love for animals, cruel

Ramasamy also queried Subramaniam about spirituality when there was not a whimper from him about the alleged “cruelty against animals” practised by the Chettiars.

He was commenting on the chariot with about eight people on it, pulled by a pair of cows.

The Golden chariot is pulled by human power.

“Has he no love for animals?

Gandhi said to judge a nation by its love for animals,” Ramasamy said.

“Subramaniam lacks the courage to questioned why they are thousands of Indians denied citizenships.

Politically, he “connived and conspired” to bring his party rivals down, Ramasamy claimed.

“Yet he spoke about spiritualism, there is no spiritualism in abstraction,” he added.

“Chettiars have all the money in the world, what about the poor Indians?” Ramasamy asked.