Thaipusam vigilantes, why spray when your eyes stray?

Vigilantes to spray paint women who don’t ‘cover up’ at Thaipusam

Vijay47: One thing is clear from the antics of this latest bunch of world reformers – religious extremism and gross stupidity is not the preserve of any particular community, almost anyone can fall prey to this malady of fake piety.

I for one am waiting to see someone spray-paint a lady whose manner of dressing may not meet his exacting standards; it would be fun to see him get the beating of his misbegotten life from the lady’s relatives and friends.

The name of the leader of this bunch, Henry Barnabas, suggests that he is likely to be a Christian and not a Hindu. So what is his contribution in aid of – Unified Cult of Morons?

Barnabas paints those who dress different as “call girls”. I feel it is unfair, not to mention inaccurate, to employ such description which may be more relevant to women he is accustomed to.

I wonder what the next act of this mob would be – that all those attending St Anne’s Feast should have a cross painted on their foreheads? I look forward to meeting Barnabas and friends.

TA: The essence of any religion is that it should not condemn or condone. Nobody is greater or lesser. It is just in how we perceive it.

For the record, why is this so-called Barnabas (I believe people realise Barnabas can never be a Hindu) so worried about degradation of Hindu culture?

The religion has been around for ages and it is very progressive and ahead of time. You don’t need to save it, judging that it has survived a minimum of 5,000 years.

Aries46: The all-embracing Hindu culture described as ‘acceptance and tolerance’ is neither restrictive nor dogmatic. In India itself its practices vary among villages, districts and states.

Similarly attire-wise, Hindus are free to choose what they wear but is expected to be modest and within the law. But neither obscene-minded Barnabas nor any of his ilk can dictate what women choose to wear to Batu Caves.

My advice to them is to mind their own business. We do not tolerate moral policing of our women and worse by groups of thugs that use threat of violence to control the women for their narrow-minded agenda.

A police report must be lodged against these ‘holier than thou’ imbeciles who are the real menace to society.

Anticonmen: Hinduism teaches that men and women are equals. The young and the unenlightened must understand. When souls reincarnate, we can be born as either male or female. Even Hindu gods are portrayed as male as well as female.

In Hindu philosophy, the supreme is both energiser (male) and energy (female). If male is Shiva, the female is Shakti. The supreme is therefore also seen as Shivan-Shakti. They are many different facets of the same entity.

Creation takes place as a form of ‘play’ between Shivan-Shakthi. So, energiser and energy are within the same entity.

Young Hindus must also understand Hindu philosophy about the relationship between god, souls and matter.

Women are revered in Hinduism as mother. There is no fanaticism taught in Hinduism against others, whether male or female or against other beliefs due to the concept of manifestation of one to many.

This gives rise to a great degree of tolerance towards others. Yes, tolerance is key.

Proarte: Henry Barnabas is ignorant of Hindu culture. Who appointed him to be a fashion police for Thaipusam? It would appear that this group is an outsourced IS group trying to destabilise this country.

‘Tutup aurat’ is an Islamic injunction and not in any way related to Hinduism. Ancient Hindu temples in India are adorned with sculptures of naked women.

It was colonialism, the Muslim invasion followed by Victorian British prudery which suppressed traditional Hinduism which has always celebrated the human body in its dance and sculptures.

No one who attends Thaipusam is naked or goes to the temple to deliberately inflame the sexual passion of devotees.

The real ‘call girls’ are vigilantes like Barnabas who could be prostitutes working for IS or the red-shirt leader who are intent on destroying the peace and harmony in multireligious Malaysia.

P Dev Anand Pillai: Oh, come on people, the entire 108 positions of the Kamasutra is adorned on a few temples in India and the goddesses are sexier than most women who come to worship them, so what if Indian Malaysian women tend to ‘dress less’?

By the way, many try to get into some tiny attires but it doesn’t get the intended effect, they are just too overweight and bordering obesity.

Why spare paint them? It is only going to make their macho super men spring into action to protect them.

It will be better if we encourage them to reduce weight and become sexier so that they can get into their dresses and have better sex, which in turn will save many marriages and will also make them and their husbands and lovers healthier.

Solaris: You are meant to be there to pray and not ‘spray’. Why spray when your eyes stray?

Hang Tuah PJ: Can I spray paint men who prance around and dance wildly with the drum beats? They behave like hooligans and are also an insult to Indian customs and race.

And I am not referring to the ones in a trance.

Shunyata: Yes, topless men, there will be many at Batu Caves come Thaipusam. Do not, I repeat, do not accidentally spray them, for the consequences will be unimaginable. Only on the women, yeah?

Oh, and there will not be a lacking of transgenders either, who may be outwardly sweet and dolly but will not hesitate to turn you into pulp if you so much as aim your spray at them.

So, please go about your duty to Karthikeya with caution, my righteous brothers.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.