Former MIC Youth chief T Mohan denied those who gathered outside the party headquarters on Dec 18 were gangsters as alleged by party chief G Palanivel.
Describing Palanivel's statement as irresponsible, Mohan said those who gathered there were all bona fide party members.
In a statement yesterday, Mohan said the protesters are from MIC branches, and from the Wanita and Youth wings.
“There were no outsiders. We had already sent a letter saying that we will be coming to the headquarters to register our protest. We had also informed the police of the gathering.
“We have sent a text message to all the members informing them the purpose of our intention to gather at the MIC headquarters.
“Even leaders aligned with Palanivel had also sent text messages to their members to gather at the headquarters,” he said.
Mohan said the text messages sent by pro-Palanivel supporters were with the intention to confront them and also to create problems.
The small fights should not be attributed to just one side, as what was being done by the president.
“The members were gathered there with one single cause: to call for free and fair elections. There was no other reason.
“We have requested for a meeting with the president but he had refused to meet us. This gathering of people would have been avoided if the president had met us.
“We strongly condemn the statement by Palanivel in calling bona fide members as gangsters. He is trying to divert the real issue of calling for a re-election as specified by the Registrar of Societies (ROS),” he said.
It was reported that pandemonium broke at the party's Central Working Committee meeting on Thursday as they exited after attending the emergency meeting at the party headquarters.
‘President reluctant to meet members’
Mohan said the problems on Dec 18 were caused by Palanivel himself.
The president was reluctant to meet the group for a discussion and got his allies to come out in full force to support him.
“Does the president agree that those who had gathered at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to welcome him were also gangsters?
“In fact there were calls for our members to show their protest but we decided not to be there.
“We are standing firm that there should be a re-election, as there were fraud and irregularities in the Nov 2013 party election,” Mohan claimed.
He pleaded that in the interest of party unity, they agreed to seek clarification from the ROS on their decision but whatever the explanation, fresh elections must be held.
Mohan hopes for a swift re-election as there are 70 days left before the party is faced with the prospect of deregistration.
“But if Palanivel wants to divert the issue, we will not stand by it and let it happen. We will fight for our rights and justice.
“The complaint made to ROS is only the tip of the iceberg and there are lots of other issues, which we can complain about.
“The party headquarters had illegally formed branches, and membership fees were paid by the headquarters itself,” he said, listing other issues that are ailing the party.
Calls for Palanivel’s resignation started with Vell Paari after the MIC chief became the butt of the Pahang sultan’s ire over the recurrence of fatal Cameron Highlands landslides.
The matter snowballed when the ROS ordered the party to conduct re-elections.
Last weekend around 200 members gathered at MIC's headquarters to pressure Palanivel to leave blaming his "weak leadership" for the party's sinking fortunes. - M'kini
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