‘Malaysian Indians to get my support’

Waythamoorthy briefed Karunanidhi about “the various ways in which the Malaysian Indians were discriminated against in the areas of education and jobs.”

Waythamoorthy said: “I told Karunanidhi that the 1.8 million Malaysian Indians, 90 per cent of whom are Tamils, have turned to him for support.” Karunanidhi, on his part, expressed regret that he was being criticised by the Malaysian ministers “only because he had taken up the cause of the Indian community there”. The Chief Minister’s letter to the Prime Minister asking for his intervention in support of the ethnic Indian community in Malaysia had been a major morale boost for the community, Waythamoorthy said, adding that he had also informed Karunanidhi “about the harsh police action to stop the November 25 rally.”

Karunanidhi was “concerned” when he was told about thousands of Hindu temples being demolished, and about the “bad condition” of the Tamil schools, Waythamoorthy said.

Lobbying for support among Tamil politicians for the Malaysian Indian cause, Waythamoorthy said he proposed to meet several Indian political leaders and human rights activists. He would also visit Europe and North America for garnering support for the Malaysian Indians.