Kuala Lumpur, Apr. 25 : The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) has asked the government to explain why five leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) are being detained under the Internal Security Act, and how they pose a threat to national security.

Party Youth chief S. A. Vigneswaran said the five should be released if the authorities could not come up with an answer.

"If their detention is simply because of their involvement in street demonstrations, then the government should release them immediately. Otherwise, the people should be told what kind of threat the five pose to national security," The Star quoted Vigneswaran, as saying.

M. Manoharan, P. Uthayakumar, V. Ganabatirau, R. Kengadharan, and K. Vasantha Kumar have been slapped with a two-year detention order by the Home Ministry for their involvement in a street demonstration in Kuala Lumpur on November 25 last year.

Vigneswaran said the call for the release of the five did not mean the MIC condoned street demonstrations. (ANI)