Author: B.R. Haran
Publication:
Date:
The Beginning: -
Islamic fundamentalism in independent India
took roots in Muslim pockets of India with Clandestine infiltration of the
Pakistan based terrorists supported by ISI. The continuous terror attacks
in the Kashmir valley, in the name of freedom fight, served as fuel for the
rise in Islamic fanaticism. The demolition of Babri Masjid in Dec 1992 and
the consequent Mumbai riots followed by the serial blasts in 1993 created
an obvious division on religious grounds. Since then, Islamic militants with
the connivance of local outfits have perpetrated repeated terror attacks on
Indian soil. The student Islamic movement of India. (SIMI) became very active
fanned by the clerics and trained by the ISI. They spread to all corners of
the country and clandestinely operated in different cities, in different names.
In Tamil Nadu it took the name of "Al-Umma" and "Jihad Committee".
* Pre-Blast : "*Al Umma" made its
first major strike at the RSS head quarters in Chennai in Nov 1993 - killing
11 people- in the name of retaliation for Babri demolition. The Tamil Nadu
police arrested S.A. Basha and 15 others under TADA at Coimbatore. That one
incident was enough for the then AIADMK government to act tough on terrorist
outfits and the TN police brought the volatile situation under control. 'Kottamedu'
in Coimbatore was the most notorious place where Islamic terrorism was reared
and the police set up 5 check posts in kottiamedu, and other Muslim pockets
of the city.
In the meantime, TamilNadu Muslim Munnetra
Kazhagam (TMMK) was launched in 1995 with a political colour to be deliberately
different from Al-Umma, which was seen as a violent outfit. But most of the
Muslim youth were allegedly members in both the outfits and the TMMK was allegedly
started to give a political colour to Islamic fundamentalism. During April
1996 election, the DMK candidates M.Thandapani (MP) and Ramanathan (MLA) promised
the Muslim community that the check posts in their areas would be removed
provided if they were voted to power. Even before announcing the victory of
DMK, Muslim youth demolished the check posts and two constables were even
stabbed in the melee. By the end of 1996 a Coimbatore prison official Boopalan
was also murdered by Muslim militants.
With the advent of the DMK government, the
"AL-Umma" and "Jihad committee" indulged in clandestine
operations. The organizations like "Hindu Makkal katchi" were forced
to retaliate, resulting in frequent stabbings and attacks. The "AL-Umma"
men (16 including their chief Basha) who were arrested for RSS office attack
were released on Bail in January 1997. On February 8 1997, a powerful blast
occurred in the premises of Mohammadiya rice mill at saliyamangalam near Thanjavur
and the police seized a huge quantity of gelatin sticks, sulphur, ammonium
nitrate, nitric acid, sulphuric acid, detonators and pistols from the premises
of the mill. Again on 10th February 1997 the Chennai city police seized around
1000 detonators packed in cardboard boxes from one Amanulla, who had come
to Chennai from Coimbatore. On the same day in Tambaram, a suburb of Chennai,
a cyclist was arrested with detonators and clocks with wires. On the 11th
of March 1997, the Chennai city police seized a huge cache of arms, explosives,
detonators, pipes & wires etc, from a place called kodungaiyur, and arrested
two "Al-Umma" men one of them being Basha's brother Mohammed Khan.
On 29th of November 1997 in Coimbatore city, traffic constable by name Selvaraj
was murdered by three "Al-Umma" men in broad daylight and in the
subsequent combing operation by the police, 17 Muslims lost their lives in
firing. Since then Coimbatore city was always under threat of violence and
state intelligence provided the government with confirmed information on the
imminent terror attacks. As evidence to the intelligence reports huge cache
or arms and explosives were seized from different places, particularly in
Chennai & Coimbatore. On the 6th December 1997, bombs went in three different
trains leaving Chennai Central Station, planted by "Islmamic Defense
Force" of Kerala, in which nine people were killed and over 70 injured.
This "Islamic Defense Force" has common ideologies with "Al
Umma" and they have developed network, communication and exchange of
arms, as they have been situated on the border of areas of Tamil Nadu &
Kerala, the land of Abdul Nassar Madhani, President, People's Democratic Party.
*Blasts: *The State Intelligence had informed
the government on 31st of January 1998 and again on 12th or February 1998
(as per media reports) about a possible terror attack during the visit of
BJP leader Mr. L.K. Adwani. Despite the intelligence reports, the state government
failed to act, or rather, preferred not to act, in time, probably with an
eye on vote banks and other electoral factors. On Saturday the 14th of February
1998 between 3.50pm and 4.30pm, 13 bombs exploded in 11 different places killing
45 people including 10 women and one child. Ten more persons were killed in
the next few days, taking the total official tally to 59 Casualties and over
200 maimed. The unofficial casualty figure was believed to be around 150 to
200. On 15th Feb, Six "Al-Umma" cadres died following a police raid
on their hideout and again on 17ths Feb, four men died following an accidental
blast in their hideout in Al-Ameen colony. As far as the serial blasts are
concerned, the bombs were placed in bullock carts, fruit carts, two wheelers,
bicycle boxes, containers, etc along the route from Airport to meeting venue
and near the railway station. The Army, police and NSG diffused several bombs,
which failed to detonate. A car laden with 70 Kg of explosives was found abandoned
in Lokamanya Tilak Street, R.S.Puram, just behind the famous Annapoorna Hotel
and it took 4 days of meticulous operation to dismantle the device.
On the same day of the blast, the state government
banned "Al-Umma" and "Jihad Committee", a move that came
under severe criticism by the people as "Worshipping Sun God after becoming
blind". In the consequent combing operation in Coimbatore city, police
seized large quantities or gelatin sticks, petrol bombs, pipe bombs, detonators,
knives, swords, pick axes and sickles, apart from batteries, wires etc. "Al-Umma"
leader S.A. Basha with 12 accomplices and hundred odd cadres belonging to
the "Al-Umma", "TMMK" and "Jihad Committee"
were arrested and lodged in Coimbatore Central prison. The People's Democratic
Party (formerly known as Islmaic Seva Sangh) leader Abdul Nassar Madhani from
Kerala was also arrested and lodged in Coimbatore prison. The then Left Front
government led by E.K. Nayanar handed him over to Tamil Nadu police.
*Post-Blast: *First Information reports were
lodged and cases were registered in the respective police stations and then
transferred to CB-CID. The preliminary charge sheets were filed on 28th September
1998 and the final charge sheets were filed on 5th of May 1999. Special Court
for Bomb Blast cases was constituted in April 2000. Justice Gokula Krishnan
who was inquiring into the communal violence and police firing between Nov-Dec
1997 submitted his reports in May 2000.
In 2001 elections, the DMK lost and AIDMK
came back to power. Charges were framed against the accused in October 2001.
Examination of witness began in March 2002. In the meantime, several attempts
were made to bail out Madhani, but only in vain. The Jayalalitha government
took a tough stand on this case and when the then Home Secretary of Tamil
Nadu Mr. Munir Hoda attempted to help for bailing out Madhani without the
knowledge of the CM Jayalalitha, he was suspended for his arrogant & stupid
action.
Then, when the DMK came back to power in May
2006, Munir Hoda was reinstated as the Chief minister's Personal Secretary.
The Kerala Assembly unanimously passed a shocking unprecedented resolution
seeking the release of Madhani on humanitarian grounds. The Kerala Chief Minister
Achuthananthan sent his ministers to Coimbatore prison to meet Madhani for
the sake of giving moral support and the Chief Minister himself came and met
his Tamil Nadu counterpart to secure his release in the guise of Mulla Periyar
talks. Karunanidhi wisely but cautiously refused to release, but at the same
time agreed to arrange for an Ayurvedic Spa inside the prison exclusively
for Madhani.
The arguments in the case started in June
2006 and got completed in April 2007, examining 1300 witnesses out of 2345.
Even before the arguments started, organizations like TMMK, DK. (Dravidar
Kazhagam) MNP (Maritha Neethi Paasarai) VSK (Viduthalai Siruthai Katchi) put
pressure on CM karunanidhi and demanded bail for the 100 and odd prisoners.
The pressure forced the prosecution to conduct the arguments in a haphazard,
half-baked and halfhearted manner. Finally on the 1st of August 2007, Justice
Uthirapathy pronounced the verdict. Abdul Nassar Madhani was acquitted for
want or Damming evidences, to the shock of blast victims and all the right
thinking people. Basha, Ansari and 158 others were found guilty while seven
others were acquitted along with Madhani. The sentences are expected to be
given from 6th August onwards and 84 prisoners who were found guilty on non-serious
charges were also expected to get bail.
Abdul Nassar Madhani, who had been acquitted
& released, was given a Hero's welcome in Thiruvananthapuram. Both the
UDF & the LDF have vied with each other to take credit for his acquittal.
While the Communists, being the ruling dispensation, could join the festivities
at the felicitation function, Congressmen could not join, as they are the
opposition. Madhani also assured his support for the LDF government for the
time being. As the Kerala politicians were shamelessly painting him as a Good
Samaritan, Madhani was trying to project himself with a new & moderate
image. He claimed that he had never been a terrorist (!) and his future plan
is to work for the welfare of Dalits & Muslims. He had clarified that
he would not sue the TN government for detaining him in the prisons for nine
long years, but warned that he would take up the case again if Tamil Nadu
goes for an appeal.
*When their Kerala counterparts are going
berserk on Madhani's release, the Communists & the Congressmen of Tamil
Nadu are maintaining a deadly silence on the court verdict in general and
Madhani's release in particular. The other political parties including the
DMK, which flaunt their love for "Tamil" people in the name of "Tamil",
have not reacted at all on the court verdict. Even the AIADMK, which did well
in crushing Islamic terrorism & refusing to be lenient on Madhani when
in power, was conspicuous by its silence on the verdict. None of the 'Tamil'
political leaders has come out with a clear statement on the verdict on Coimbatore
blasts to the dismay & disappointment of the Tamils*.
The 1998 serial blasts have taken the lives
of 59 innocent "Tamils" and maimed over 200 innocent "Tamils"
for life. The families of the victims have been suffering in silence. Abdul
Nassar Madhani, the 'kingpin' of the conspiracy & crime has been acquitted
and all the shameless "Tamil" politicians, who brazenly claim to
work for the welfare of "Tamils" and serve the cause of "Tamil",
are simply keeping quiet, just for the sake of Muslim votes! The BJP is the
only party, which is making the right noises and unfortunately it doesn't
have a presence at all in the state. Worse is the statement of "Tamil"
Nationalist Party leader Pazha Nedumaran, who has demanded compensation for
terrorist Madhani. What a love for "Tamils"!
At least now, the Tamils must understand the
brazen double standards and the dubious intentions of the "Tamil"
politicians and realize that they have been cheated and taken for a solid
ride for the last forty years by the Dravidian rulers by keeping them 'backward'
perennially through 'quotas' & 'freebies'. The people of Tamil Nadu must
understand that, more than the 'Tamil' cause, it is the 'Minority' cause,
which the "Tamil" politicians are bothered about.
In this kind of a scenario, if the Tamils
expect that their "Tamil" Chief minister would opt for an appeal
against the acquittal of Madhani, then they are quite wrong. Karunanidhi being
a shrewd politician, knows pretty well that the people have the habit of forgetting
things and that he can always fool them with freebies and quotas in the name
of social welfare and social justice. He is also aware of the fact that no
other party is there in the state to cash in on the Coimbatore blasts and
that no other party would demand the state government to go for an appeal,
except the BJP, which is not a force to reckon with in Tamil Nadu.
But, what about the great Basha and others?
The 'minority' loving Chief Minister cannot afford to detain Basha and his
accomplices for many more years in prison. It doesn't matter, the law can
always take its 'course' and higher courts are also there. As all culprits
cannot be acquitted in one go, loose arguments can be managed further at the
higher courts to effect the acquittal of Basha & Co or their sentences
could be reduced and by that time, the people would forget the past.
Cheers to Dravidianism, Minorityism and Secularism!
May Tamils be doomed!
