Indian NGO giving aid to families of detained Hindraf leaders

George Town (Malaysia), July 4 : For the past three months, an Indian NGO is paying a monthly aid of 2000 RMs to the families of the five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders detained under the Internal Security Act.

"The help is being given after Hindraf made appeals to Indian NGOs to help the detainees' families," Hindraf national co-ordinator RS Thanenthiran said here yesterday.

He was commenting on claims by K. Vickneswary, wife of Hindraf leader K. Vasantha Kumar that the organisation had abandoned her and her two children, reported staronline.com.

Thanenthiran said he was hurt by the allegations since the statement could create disunity among Hindraf supporters.

He said Hindraf gave 5000 RMs to each family from money collected from the public but it was only for a month. "We stopped it after Vasantha Kumar lodged a police report in Kamunting on Jan 9 this year that Hindraf supporters were abusing the public donations," he said and added that he believed the people were still donating money to the families via the detainees' bank accounts.

ANI