Regarding the demolition of temples in Malaysia, she said some of the temples were in unregistered areas and hence they were demolished. "Hindus are treated with utmost respect in Malaysia and no one is against the Hindus or Hinduism," she said.
In the midst of the fracas, word broke that the Malaysian government has announced a ban on Indian workers. Vellu, who was indoors for some time, came out and said that he had spoken to the prime minister and that there was no such ban. "The Reuters news is false," he said.
The rebels maintain he is just buying time as he does not want the news to come out when he is in India. They maintain that the ban will be implemented in one form or the other when he gets back to Malaysia. "Even this news about the ban came out soon after your minister left Malaysia (Defence minister AK Antony was in Malaysia to enhance military ties with Kuala Lumpur and had left only the day before the news of the ban broke). Vellu is a very shrewd customer. Wait and watch what happens when he gets back," a member of the rebel group warned.
Observers see the development as an embarrassment for Vellu. "Till now, he was seen as the saviour of the community by the outside world. Keeping aside the question about their credibility, the rebels have ensured that their version is also heard. Vellu did not anticipate the rebels would ambush him like this. He too was carried away by the media attention he was getting here in India and had let his guard down. The result is there for you to see," an Indian journalist working for a Malaysian publication said.
Image: Defence minister A K Antony with Malaysian deputy prime minister Najib Razak on his arrival at the Ministry of Defence in Kuala Lumpur on January 7.
Photograph: STR/AFP/Getty Images
Also read: Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2008
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