Joyless Deepavali for ISA detainee's family

Deepavali came and went ... minus the joy and excitement of the festival for family members of ISA detainee M Manoharan.

Although Deepavali portrays the festival of lights with joy all round for those celebrating it, it was the opposite for the wife, children, parents and friends of the Hindraf leader and Kota Alam Shah state assemblyperson.

“Our house was so empty. There was no laughter, there was no joy. This is the saddest Deepavali in our lives,” S Pushpaneela, the devoted wife of Manoharan, told reporters at her husband’s legal office in Kuala Lumpur today.

Their three children, twins M Hariharan and M Shivaranjini (right), both 11, and their youngest son, M Ganendra, 9, were also “emotionally affected” by their father’s detention this Deepavali as he was the one who would take the whole family shopping for Deepavali.

“Normally on Deepavali eve, he would take the family for shopping and he was the only person in the house to go around shopping for new clothes for everyone, but not this year,” said Pushpaneela, holding back tears.

The family including Manoharan’s parents, who reside in Banting made a trip to Kamunting Detention Camp on Deepavali eve (Sunday), but only managed to spend one hour with him.

“He (Manoharan) even fasted on Sunday as penance and as a prayer that he would be released the next day (on Deepavali),” said Pushpaneela, who further revealed that the family also spent a night in Kamunting, praying for the same thing to happen.

Manoharan was detained alongside four other Hindraf leaders last December following a rare mass street protest organised by the rights group.

'He never had a smile’

Although the government has allowed special visitation for the family yesterday to celebrate Deepavali, Pushpaneela said they were “not there to celebrate the festival but just to spend time with him”.

“We were told that we could bring some food for him, but he did not even have the appetite to eat. But he ate for the sake of the children and his parents,” she said.

Pushpaneela said her husband “never had even a little smile on his face” when she saw him yesterday.

“He was very sad because he expected some good news on Deepavali, thinking that he would be released. Even his parents could not take it when they saw their son (like this). My husband is known to be a strong person, but he is much weaker now,” she added.

A good friend of Manoharan, S Mohan also shared the same sadness with his buddy’s family. They were Form Six classmates in Vanto Academy.

Mohan (right) said he was not celebrating Deepavali this year in solidarity with Manoharan and his family.

“We have been friends for 12 years and I know Manoharan never meant to hurt people. He is down to earth and such a loving guy. He was always there for his friends.

“This year, I am not celebrating Deepavali knowing that a good friend of mine is imprisoned for fighting for the rights of society. He is a strong guy, but he has been weakened now,” said Mohan.

Law firm badly affected

Another ordeal which Manoharan’s family has to counter is the affairs of his law firm.

Manoharan and Co situated in Wisma Pantai has been badly affected as a result of her husband’s absence, according to Pushpaneela.

“Since his detention, no new cases came in and this is the worst in the last seven years it has been set up,” she added, saying that many cases also had to be postponed as many clients want Manoharan to handle them.

“We also had to downsize the company - from 10 to five workers and we have received many notices regarding our rentals as we have not paid for quite some time,” said Pushpaneela, who had to fork out from her own savings to pay the workers’ salary.

Asked if the law firm can survive another year, she replied in a sad tone, “No, I doubt it.”

Watch 7-min video of Pushpaneela on her saddest Deepavali