KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 — The MIC drama continued yesterday after chaos broke out at the party’s headquarters when a group denied entry to vice-president Datuk M. Saravanan and Wanita chief Mohana Muniandy.

A phone call threatening to shoot Saravanan and deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam was also thrown into the mix during the day’s drama.

Saravanan said he and Mohana were not allowed into the headquarters by the men who he claimed were “gangsters” appointed by Datuk G. Kumaar Aamaan.

“Who is Kumaar Aamaan? He is no one. He is not the valid secretary-general and he has no right to appoint these ‘gangsters’ as security personnel,” he said during the press conference that followed.

Both were eventually allowed in after the group handed Saravanan a letter signed by Kumaar appointing them as security guards.

In turn, Saravanan wrote a letter requesting them to leave as they had no right to be there because Kumaar was not the legitimate secretary-general.

Just before the press conference began, Saravanan answered a phone call on speaker mode.

“We will shoot you and Subramaniam,” the person on the other end of the line said.

As reporters were told to head to the second floor for the press conference, yells were heard below as the men were ushered out of the compound.

Saravanan said he received a text message at 6pm on Tuesday from MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel informing him he had been sacked as Federal Territories chairman. However, at 11pm the same day, he received another message informing him to carry on with his duties in that capacity.

He claimed the security personnel hired by Kumaar also handed him a termination letter signed by Palanivel.

“What is wrong with our president? Why is he sending me such messages? Is he in the right state of mind?” he questioned.

Saravanan said MIC did not elect Palanivel as president, as it was a request by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for him to be given the post.

“In the presence of Subramaniam, (Datuk S.K.) Devamany and myself, Palanivel confirmed in front of the prime minister that he would step down six months before his term ends,” he said, adding he hoped Palanivel did not go back on his word.

Saravanan claimed Palanivel was destroying the party and demanded he call for a central working committee (CWC) meeting within 24 hours.

“Palanivel has to call for a CWC meeting within 24 hours or we will go to his house and ask him to do so.

“If he still does not comply, I will call for the meeting with 15 CWC members and ask for the prime minister to step in as well,” he said.

MIC Youth chairman C. Sivaraajh, who was at the press conference, demanded Palanivel’s resignation.

“I am saddened and disappointed by what happened here. The president is not fit to lead MIC and he should step down,” Sivaraajh said.

MIC information chief L. Sivasubramaniam refuted claims by Saravanan, insisting the security personnel were not gangsters.

“Saravanan and Mohana were not allowed in because the security guards may not know who they were,” he said.

Sivasubramaniam said Kumaar appointed new security personnel after he saw messages on the party’s WhatsApp group saying Saravanan would be going to the headquarters with 1,000 supporters to protest his sacking.

The chaos yesterday was nothing new for a party that has been facing tumultuous times over the past few months.

The first instance was in December after a party working committee meeting turned sour between rival factions.

Another happened three weeks ago, when a verbal tussle ensued between Kumaar and former MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, who lodged a police report on Kumaar’s decision to bar unauthorised personnel from entering the party headquarters.

The third incident was a week ago when Kumaar went on a hunger strike after his appointment as party secretary-general was deemed void by the Registrar of Societies.