MIC president S Subramaniam criticised what he claimed was an inflammatory speech delivered by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng during the Thaipusam festival.

Subramaniam, who is also health minister, said he observed this when visiting Penang's Waterfall Temple yesterday.

"When I entered the vicinity of the Waterfall Temple in Penang, I was welcomed not by the beautiful melodies of religious songs and hymns but by the jarring inflammatory and provocative political speeches by the chief minister and deputy chief minister of Penang," Subramaniam said in a Facebook posting.

However Subramaniam did not say what in Lim's speech he considered to be inflammatory, or which deputy chief minister he was referring to.

Meanwhile Lim on his official Facebook page had written he was "pleasantly surprised" when he met Subramaniam at the temple and both had chatted over tea.

Also present were Penang deputy chief ministers Mohd Rashid Hasnon and P Ramasamy.

Subramaniam said Thaipusam is a religious function and its spirituality should be maintained.

"Everyone who goes to the temple, be they young or old, clad in sarees or jeans, carrying pal kodam or kavadis, they all share one common objective.

"They are there to seek the blessing of Lord Muruga, fulfill their penance and spiritually reenergise themselves.

"Ideally Thaipusam should provide that spiritual environment," he said.

'Denying Hindus peace'

Subramaniam criticised the Penang Hindu Endowment Board for allegedly not providing such an environment.

"Congratulations to the Penang Hindu Endowment Board for converting Thaipusam into a political festival and denying Hindus their inherent right to a peaceful and spiritual Thaipusam," he said.

The Penang Hindu Endowment Board is a state statutory body handling Hindu affairs, and plays a key role in organising the Thaipusam festivals in the state.

CORRECTION: Lim's Thaipusam message was previously published in this story. The statement was not read out at the Thaipusam event. His full speech is available on his Facebook page (from 51st minute of the video).