Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Amar Singh has denied accusing four NGOs involved in the anti-price hike protest of planning to conduct bombings during the demonstration on Dec 31.
Utusan Malaysia quoted Amar as saying that he was only talking about the risk of bombings that may be done by other participants.
“During the press conference, I mentioned four NGOs were identified as being part of the protest. The gathering is against the law as they do not have a permit.
“My statement about bomb threats and dangerous weapons was not directed at the NGOs involved but was based on a statement by an individual on Facebook before this,” he was quoted as saying.
This comes after two of the NGOs, namely Solidarti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) and Jingga 13, had threatened to sue the senior cop.
The other NGOs named by Amar as being organisers of the protests were Gerakan Turun Kos Sara Hidup (Turun) and Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM).
During a press conference last Saturday, Amar had read out a prepared statement about the New Year’s eve anti-price hike protest.
“Irresponsible groups have propagated on websites and social media by telling people that they will topple the government through the rally.
“They also organised a series of illegal protests in a few locations and states by inciting the public, especially youths, to topple the government.
“It cannot be denied that these groups create a ruckus when they turn up with tents, bring tools or dangerous weapons such as hand grenades or gas masks and even breach cordons and clash with police and other actions that are against the law,” he had said.
Turun chief Azan Safar has denied planning to overthrow the government and instead accused the ruling coalition of trying to distract the public from spiralling living cost which the protest is highlighting.
A New York court Sept. 5 issued a summons for All India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi, who is being sued by the U.S.-based Sikhs for Justice for her alleged involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Gandhi is reportedly in the U.S., for treatment for an undisclosed medical condition. In August 2011, Gandhi was reportedly treated for ovarian cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York. India-West and other media reported that Gandhi was being treated by a team of doctors, led by radiation oncologist Dattatreyudu Nori.
Contacted on his cell phone by India-West this week, Nori would not respond to questions about whether he was currently treating Gandhi.
Gandhi has not yet been served with the summons, as process servers have been unable to locate her at various New York hospitals, according to Gurpatwant Pannun, attorney for the U.S.-based Sikhs for Justice. The summons most be served within 120 days.
Pannun told India-West that if the organization failed to serve the summons while Gandhi is in the U.S., it will invoke The Hague Convention procedures for serving summons abroad.
“The Congress Party organized the systematic killing of Sikhs in 1984. Sonia has been protecting and shielding killers and giving them important positions within the Congress party,” stated Pannun. “We want to expose Sonia Gandhi’s role in killing thousands and thousands of innocent Sikhs. There have been no investigations of these killings at all,” he stated.
The now powerful scion of the Congress party was not involved in politics when the riots occured in 1984 and did not engage in politics until two years after her husband Rajiv Gandhi’s murder in 1991
The riots were an act of politics. Politics is madness. Politics turns people into beasts. I saw my neighbour’s body on the street devoured by dogs after the mobs roasted him. So many relatives of the riot victims just died crying and lamenting for their loved ones.
I still don’t know who was responsible for the killings. Indian governments are not so bad, actually. Its foreign forces who hatch these plans. I vote both for the Congress and BJP.
There were 14 corpses in one house on our street. The women and children were stoned and asked to leave. The men were hunted down and killed. I saw my husband being set alight. I kept running to the killers, asking for forgiveness. They beat me back with sticks.
I was left with four children to bring up. I don’t feel angry any longer. I have been numbed by grief for as long as I can remember. All that is left are some memories and my little hous
Unbelievable. To me Amar Singh double-talked and was caught confusing over what was the real thing. Think for a moment, do Malaysians involved in the last several mass rallies found to be militant in nature? No. Think again, what benefits can be derived if these youths create trouble at the said rally? But who will stand to benefit from the actual price hikes in electricity bill, highway tolls, and sugar price? IPP operators will benefit from the first, concessionaires will benefit from the second, while monopolies for the third. The beneficiaries are the cronies of the regime. Rightly, they are fearful of the rally. Clearly, the police is not with the masses.Add some more ghee to your chapatti. Don’t twist your words.
The Sikhs used to be respected for their loyalty, tenacity and honesty and integrity. Even Standard Chartered Bank used them as a symbol of integrity and strengthe in their advertisements. But sadly, Sikhs like Amar Singh has brought a shame to this once-proud community… really shameful… the Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Datuk Amar SinghIshar … to be haunted and hounded by such “imaginary enemies” just to prop up the …cybertroopers that he is planning to plant bombs in certain locations in … up the UMNO blogger and not be harassing Rafizi as in other countries where Now, look who is spinning ? As your former IGP said ” Malaysian are a rational lots…………….except the Police perhaps ! People like you Mr. Singh, please think carefully before you read out the ill-prepared statement. The Police was commented for their fast action in tracking down the two kids who spread “Bak Kut Teh” joke on the facebook, but this time you guys seem to have lost the drive to nap those guys on the Facebook who threaten the country security with bombs! Hey, where is your priority !
Try picture this: Rakyat to topple the government, dangerous weapons, gas masks, hand grenades etcs..Is this a lawless land ?? Son, you missed out C4. Mr Singh, either you have a cup too much of vokhas or you’re watching too much of yankee movies. Grow up lah, do not twist and turn you tongue like your masters. No wonder people distrust PDRM so much.A New York court Sept. 5 issued a summons for All India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi, who is being sued by the U.S.-based Sikhs for Justice for her alleged involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Gandhi is reportedly in the U.S., for treatment for an undisclosed medical condition. In August 2011, Gandhi was reportedly treated for ovarian cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York. India-West and other media reported that Gandhi was being treated by a team of doctors, led by radiation oncologist Dattatreyudu Nori.
Contacted on his cell phone by India-West this week, Nori would not respond to questions about whether he was currently treating Gandhi.
Gandhi has not yet been served with the summons, as process servers have been unable to locate her at various New York hospitals, according to Gurpatwant Pannun, attorney for the U.S.-based Sikhs for Justice. The summons most be served within 120 days.
Pannun told India-West that if the organization failed to serve the summons while Gandhi is in the U.S., it will invoke The Hague Convention procedures for serving summons abroad.
“The Congress Party organized the systematic killing of Sikhs in 1984. Sonia has been protecting and shielding killers and giving them important positions within the Congress party,” stated Pannun. “We want to expose Sonia Gandhi’s role in killing thousands and thousands of innocent Sikhs. There have been no investigations of these killings at all,” he stated.
The now powerful scion of the Congress party was not involved in politics when the riots occured in 1984 and did not engage in politics until two years after her husband Rajiv Gandhi’s murder in 1991
Indira Gandhi, who orchestrated emergency rule in India and Punjab ordered the storming and attack on Amritsar in June 1984. Months later she was assassinated. This video contains BBC News coverage of the time.
The Sikhs used to be respected for their loyalty, tenacity and honesty and integrity. Even Standard Chartered Bank used them as a symbol of integrity and strengthe in their advertisements. But sadly, Sikhs like Amar Singh has brought a shame to this once-proud community… really shameful…
Try picture this: Rakyat to topple the government, dangerous weapons, gas masks, hand grenades etcs..Is this a lawless land ?? Son, you missed out C4. Mr Singh, either you have a cup too much of vokhas or you’re watching too much of yankee movies. Grow up lah, do not twist and turn you tongue like your masters. No wonder people distrust PDRM so much.
While watching another inane debate on a news channel last night, I was appalled by the attempt made by the anchor and the BJP spokesperson to compare the anti-Muslim Gujarat pogrom of 2002 with the anti-Sikh 1984 one. Of course, there are similarities – one particular community was targeted; the government didn’t do enough to stop the carnage; and thousands died. However, that’s where the comparison ends. In the years that followed, the Congress apologized and took corrective steps; the BJP didn’t.
The Congress made amends (this post points out how); as a result, the Sikhs have forgiven the Congress. But the BJP has made no amends at all. In fact, it has gone the opposite way and made Godhra and Hindutva the centerpiece of its political strategy. Modi’s innings as Gujarat CM began with Godhra. There is no way he will abandon this. Or apologize for it. He thoroughly enjoys the love and affection fellow saffronites shower on him for this (remember he is called the Hindu Hriday Samrat?). But the Muslims have never forgiven the BJP. Nor have the Christians.
How did the Congress make amends? The Congress apologized to the Sikhs. Publicly. In words and in action. Sonia Gandhi made Manmohan Singh the PM even though no one would have given him that chance. The Sikhs felt assuaged. It was the Congress’s way of apologizing; by handing over the most powerful position in the country to a Sikh. Not once, but twice. Of course, there were political reasons that Sonia had for doing so; but she grabbed the chance. Of course, Manmohan Singh’s brilliant record as a bureaucrat; his courageous reforms under Narasimha Rao; his intellectual prowess; and his apolitical nature all made him the “natural” choice. In making Manmohan Singh the PM, Sonia hit two birds with one stone. Not only did she give the nation an able PM (forget what the saffronites think), she also offered an olive branch to the Sikh community.
Did the Sikhs forgive the Congress? Yes. Since 1984, the Sikhs in Punjab voted the Congress to power twice for a total of 10 years; the SAD – the party of the Sikhs – managed only slightly better at thrice for 12 years (before the current tenure started). The loss of the Congress in the recent polls in the state was considered an unexpected result; and was attributed to factors not related to 1984. Had the Congress won Punjab this time (as was expected), it would have been in power longer than the SAD.
The BJP, on the other hand, made no amends. It grudgingly abandoned its hardline Hindutva for a while under coalition compulsions, but now with Modi at the helm, it has very much revived a more vicious version of it. 1) Narendra Modi has never apologized to the Muslims, using guttural language instead, to obfuscate the matter, and even hurt them more (remember the puppy bit?). 2) The BJP routinely abused its police in Gujarat while probing the riots (after having severely abused it during the riots); as well as the state judiciary which had become completely saffronized. Things became so bad that investigative functions had to be handed over to an SC appointed SIT and the CBI; and court hearings had to be moved outside the state. 3) The state continued its persecution of Muslims after 2002. One after another fake encounters was carried out in the state. 4) The state government refused to pony up monies for the restoration of mosques destroyed during the riots (eventually the SC forced it to do so). 5) When the BJP’s Minister of Home during the riots Haren Pandya was murdered, the state made attempts (and succeeded initially) to put the blame on innocent muslims from Hyderabad. All this indicates that the BJP is not contrite. This has helped it win power repeatedly in Gujarat and MP. But it has caused it to lose power everywhere else.
The people have repeatedly punished the BJP for Gujarat. At the Center, the BJP was booted out in 2004 immediatley after the riots (though the BJP expected to win because of its India Shining campaign, just like it thinks it will win now). In UP – where it all started with the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 – the party has never wielded power since the Babri days. In Maharashtra, where the equally saffron Shiv Sena is its ally, the BJP has ruled only once for 4 years since 1995; and never after Godhra. In Bihar, its ally, the JD(U), broke off precisely for Modi’s Gujarat record. If today the BJP is a pariah, it is thanks to its non-contrite image.
The BJP says it is has been fair to the Muslims. It says it made APJ Abdul Kalam the President. That was good; but it looks like an exception never to be repeated. Can we imagine the BJP ever making a Muslim or Christian its party President, forget its PM candidate? In fact, Modi hasn’t even given seats in the state elections to Muslim candidates. He hasn’t done it in the past and he is not going to do it in the future. At the national level, how many Muslim faces does one see in the BJP? Except for a few “show pieces”, none. How many Christian faces are there in the party? None. The BJP is proud of its staunch Hindu character. Even here, it remains exclusivist and strongly Brahminical. The BJP’s inherent nature is to polarize. It polarized the country on the Hindu-Muslim axis. It will polarize Hindus on the Brahmin-others axis in the future. Hindus worry about this. That’s why the lower castes never vote for it.
One last point. BJP supporters also mention the several Hindu-Muslim riots that have taken place in the country since independence in an attempt to shame the Congress and show it is as not secular. But the problem with this is that the people have never blamed the Congress for having caused these riots. That the riots happened is indeed shameful, but they didn’t happen because of the Congress. The BJP on the other hand is accused of having directly caused the Gujarat riots. And Babri. And the encounter killings. And more. All riots are unfortunate but when the CM acts, the casualties are smaller (Assam had less than 100 deaths, UP less than 50). When the CM looks the other way, the numbers are obviously higher (2000 died in Gujarat).
The real truth is that there is no comparison between 2002 and 1984. The Congress remains culturally, religiously and socially heterogeneous; the BJP a Brahminical monolith. The Congress’s heterogeneity forced it to apologize to the Sikhs; the BJP’s homogeneity compels it not to do so to the Muslims. The two parties are incomparable; the two incidents likewise.
