Kuala Lumpur, Sep 1 (Inditop.com) Ethnic Indians held special prayers to seek racial harmony on Malaysia’s 52nd Independence Day and condemned last week’s display of a severed cow head by a group of protesters opposing relocation of a Hindu temple.
A group of 54 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from various faiths were criticial of the protest that took place in Shah Alam, capital of Selangor state, last Saturday.
The group, which condemned the “irresponsible display of a cow head” during the protest, said “all major spiritual traditions uphold peace and human dignity as their common and core values”, The Star said Tuesday.
In a statement Monday, the NGOs also urged for all disputes to be resolved through peaceful means such as through non-violent demonstrations, rational dialogues, legal suits and extensive consultations.
They also called for a thorough investigation of those responsible for the protest.
Malaysia has a multi-racial population of 28 million that has majority Muslims and significant Chinese and Indian ethnic minorities.
MIC Youth, youth wing of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), organised a special prayer session to seek blessings for harmony among the various races in the country.
MIC Youth chief T. Mohan said the prayers at the ancient Hindu shrine at Batu Caves were for the country to continue to prosper. The country marked its national day Monday.
“We also conducted special prayers for the cow to ward off any evil following a recent demonstration where a cow’s head was paraded,” he said.
Mohan said both the government and the opposition parties have condemned the actions of the group that had staged the demonstration to protest the relocation of a temple.
The cow is sacred for the Hindus who form a bulk of the two million ethnic Indian population in Malaysia.
MIC is the oldest party that speaks for the Malaysian Indians and is part of the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional.
