Author: Pioneer News Service
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: December 7, 2005
Thrissur district areas, especially those
in the coastal region, are fast becoming religious extremists' den, police
sources said. Availability of plenty of money, lack of effective political
intervention and apathetic attitude of the CPI (M) have catalysed the recent
spread of extremism in the district.
Following reports to this effect and in view
of the anniversary of the 1992 Ayodhya incident of December 6, the police
have been put on alert in the city. In 1997, bomb explosions at Thrissur railway
station had claimed two lives on this day. Superintendent of Police T Chandran
told The Pioneer that additional police personnel were being deployed in sensitive
areas of the city. "The police would maintain a strict vigil on Tuesday,"
he said.
The recent spurt in violence in the coastal
belt of the district is attributed to the unprecedented growth of extremist
elements. Fear still haunts the residents of Andathode, where BJP activist
Manikandan was murdered in July 2004. Manikandan, local unit president of
the BJP, was returning home after a party meeting. The police had registered
a case in which some activist of the Islamist resistance movement NDF were
the accused. After this incident, there have been minor incidents of violence
involving the BJP and the NDF.
The extremist elements are concentrated mainly
in Kaipamangalam, Vadanappally and Chavakkad. Places like Thiruvathra, Idakazhiyur,
Mangalamkunnu, Manathala and Koorukuzhi also are said to be extremist strongholds.
There are reports that fundamentalists regularly organise study and arms training
camps for the youth. They are also engaged in a massive poster campaign.
The sources said these extremists also enjoy
the patronage of powerful religious establishments. According to observers,
the failure of mainstream political parties to resolve serious social issues
along the coastal stretch and endless crises in the fishing sector have provided
enough space for the extremists to widen their base in the district. The Marad
incident also has fuelled the activities of these forces, they said.
Social workers in some coastal centres said
that the extremists are flush with black money to broad-base their activities.
It is said that they receive financial assistance even from the Gulf countries.
The possibility of infiltration into mainstream
political parties by these extremist elements is also not ruled out. The sources
said some extremists contested the recent civic elections.
A notable aspect of this new scenario is the
soft attitude of CPI (M) towards the extremists. It is alleged that there
has been a phenomenal change in the attitude of the CPI (M) towards these
elements after the Marad incident. Critics of CPI (M) said that the Marxist
approach that enemy of the enemy can be a friend, with respect to BJP and
religious extremists, has also given fillip to extremism here.
The CPI(M), which is fighting against the
BJP in the name of communalism, is mum on the activities of these extremists,
it is alleged. "The party is now appeasing caste and religion-based outfits
with a view to wooing minority votes," said a communist leader in Thalikkulam.
