GEORGE TOWN, Aug 19 ― A group of Hindu temple members from Seberang Perai held a peaceful demonstration outside Komtar calling for Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy to quit.

The group of about 100 arrived in three buses and gathered at the ground floor of Komtar while holding banners and black flags telling the two state leaders to resign.

The banners carried messages accusing Ramasamy lying and making empty promises to the Hindu community.

"P. Ramasamy, you have no right to comment on Thaipusam. Is it fair to demolish a historic temple in Byram estate to build a refuse depot?” read one.

A spokesman for the group, M.V. Mathiyalagan Veeriah, 60, said they are from five Hindu temple associations: the Sri Kaliamman Temple Ladang Simpang, Batu Kawan Sri Maha Muthumariamman temple, Prai Siti Vinayagar, Maha Muthumariamman Ladang Byram and the Balathandayupani Batu Kawan.

"Ramasamy told Batu Kawan residents on December 10 last year that he would resign if the Penang Hindu Endowment Board lost the court case with Sri Maha Muthu Mariamman Temple, Batu Kawan in a temple management case,” he claimed.

Mathiyalagan said the High Court on August 11 decided in favour of the temple and ruled that the Penang Hindu Endowments Board had no rights over the temple and awarded costs to the temple committee members.

He said this meant Ramasamy must fulfil his "promise” to quit, adding that they were also seeking Lim's resignation over unrelated corruption charges he was facing.

He later handed the group's two-page memorandum on their grouses to state government officer  Elemperu Vuluthi Kuppu.

In a press conference later, Ramasamy denied ever telling Batu Kawan residents that he would resign.

He said the state is now appealing against the High Court decision.

Ramasamy then accused rival political parties MIC and IPF of being behind the protest.

Last year, the management of all Hindu temples and Hindu burial grounds were handed over to the Hindu Endowment Board, drawing protests from temple committee members.