Since Saturday, I have been answering calls & smses asking the whereabout of Mahen. Mahen, you have to pay me if you want me to be your secretary la :P. Kidding! Kidding! To those who are clueless, it was all about a Rose Rally, which turned ugly in the end.
What is Rose Rally?
It is suppose to be peaceful rally in which 100 children will hand over roses to request the Prime Minister of Malaysia to release five (5) detainees of the HINDRAF, who are currently under Internal Security Act (A draconian law which allows for indefinite detention without trial). These five detainees had earlier voiced their concern in the ever deteriorating state of the Indian minority in Malaysia and in a broader sense to provide equal platform for all Malaysians for the enhancement of the society.This peaceful gathering is legal and is in accordance to Article 10 of the Malaysian Federal Constitution. (More)
The rally was to be held in few cities around the world. So far, Raaja has updated his blog with photos and news of the rally in Los Angles, New York and Malaysia.
Why it turned ugly?
I wasn't there to comment on it, but for a fair share of news, I took some excerpts from leading media around the world:
Malaysian police fired tear gas and water cannon to break up a rally on Saturday by ethnic Indians demanding racial equality ahead of general elections.
Malaysian police used water cannon and tear gas on Saturday to break up an anti-government protest by ethnic Indians carrying roses to symbolise a peaceful demand for justice. With the Malaysian government concerned about street protests in the run-up to early general elections on March 8, around 100 policemen, including riot police with helmets and shields, turned out to disperse a gathering of about 300 men, women and children.
Malaysian security forces have used tear gas and water cannon to break up a protest by ethnic Indians in the capital, Kuala Lumpur.More than 20 people taking part in the banned march were detained by police.
Malaysian police fired tear gas and water cannon to break up an illegal rally Saturday by ethnic Indians demanding racial equality ahead of general elections.The group planned to hand roses and a protest note to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, but police banned the rally citing national security.
On Saturday about 300 men, women and children were dispersed by about 100 policemen, including riot police with helmets and shields."Police were too rough. They used their power," said S Manikavasagam, a spokesman for the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), the ethnic Indian group that organised the protest.
More than 60 people — including two leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force, or Hindraf, that organised the protest — have been detained in a police crackdown since late Friday, said lawyer N Surendran, a Hindraf member. The group planned to hand roses and a protest note to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, but police banned the rally citing national security.
Back to the beginning of the post, what does it have to do with Mahen?Our darling blogger went to give a rose to the PM as well, and get caught.
Mahen, I already told you that day. You might as well give me the rose! But, he looked macho in this picture:

Photo taken by FotoWarung. More photos
here and
here.
He wrote his experience
here and JD, a blogger who went to the rally also wrote his personal experience
here. As for me, Malaysia would be the only country in the history which fired water cannon and tear gas for giving roses.