Citing Universiti Selangor’s (Unisel) decision to conduct lectures on Oct 17 and 19, the youth wing said this was discrimination against Indian students.
It added that Unisel’s management should give students at least three to four days off from classes so that they can return to their homes and celebrate Deepavali with their families.
“We understand that the university gave one-week holidays during the Hari Raya and Chinese New Year celebration period, so there is no justification as to why it can’t extend the same courtesy to its Indian students, as Deepavali is also a major celebration in the Malaysian festivity calendar,” MIC Youth chief Sivaraajh Chandran said in a statement.
Deepavali this year takes place on Oct 18.
Sivaraajh said an appeal letter requesting a three-day break was sent by an Indian student representative on Oct 9, but the university has yet to respond.
“Unisel vice-chancellor Mohammad Redzuan Othman should listen to the appeal of the Indian students who are requesting for extra off days,” he said.
He added that Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali should also be held accountable as Unisel is a Selangor state university which comes under the purview of the state government.
He also questioned how Pakatan Harapan could look after the future welfare of Indians in Selangor if its leaders could not even give due consideration to Indian students studying at state-run institutes of higher education.