In less than three hours today, MIC made a complete U-turn in its decision to ban all Deepavali events by the party's elected representatives.

The ban was supposed to be as a mark of protest against the demolition of a 100-year-old temple in Shah Alam last week.

Citing an overwhelming requests by the members of the community for the ban to be overturned, MIC president S Samy Vellu said elected representatives of the party can now continue to hold open houses on Deepavali which falls on Nov 8.

"Our previous statement which mentioned the ban is now withdrawn due to request from many Hindus to have open houses," said Samy Vellu in a subsequent statement later at about 7pm.

The first statement said the ban would involve the party's seven members of parliament - including one full minister, three deputy ministers and three parliamentary secretaries - and all 19 state assemblypersons. Seven of the 19 state representatives are also exco members in various states.

It has been customary for all MIC leaders - both at national and state levels - to hold open houses and other events to celebrate the Festival of Lights.

However Samy Vellu's own open house - an annual event - will not take place as it has been cancelled due to the death of his brother earlier this year.

In the first statement Samy Vellu said that MIC was saddened by the demolition of the temple in Shah Alam.

"The demolition has hurt the feelings of the Indian community in this country," Samy Vellu, who is also the works minister, had said.

A sensitive issue

Last Tuesday, the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA), while tearing down a squatter colony in Kampung Rinba Jaya in Shah Alam, had also demolished the Kuil Sri Maha Mariamman.

A violent stand off ensued when Hindu devotees tried to stop the demolition, resulting in 14 devotees being arrested. They were released on Saturday.

A furious Samy Vellu visited the site immediately on the day of the fracas but he was helpless in halting the demolition, which had been completed by then.

Following a series of meeting between Samy Vellu, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, an alternate land has since been identified to rebuild the temple.

The local population however is not interested in moving out and yesterday had constructed a temporary structure at the same spot to place the deities, under the watchful eyes of MBSA enforcement officers who did not stop them.

The tearing down of this temple is just the latest in a series of demolition exercise undertaken by the Selangor state government on Hindu temples in the state, causing much frustration and a sense of dejection among the Indian community.

The Umno factor

Other observers also speculated that the temple was not the only factor for the decision to ban Deepavali celebrations.

They said that the fact that Umno was holding its annual general meeting during Deepavali was also a slap in the face for MIC, resulting in Samy Vellu deciding to just cancel any festivity celebrations by the party.

Nevertheless, the reversal of the ban has renewed speculations on the real reason for the sudden about-turn by the party.

It however saves Samy Vellu and party leaders from a potentially embarrassing moment as they would now have no problems in attending a national-level Deepavali open house organised by the Culture, Art and Heritage Ministry on Nov 11 at the KL Sentral parking space in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.

Earlier story: MIC bans Deepavali events in protest