Tamil Nadu in the grip of Jihad

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Tamil Nadu in the grip of Jihad - XIV

by Thamizhchelvan

on 13 Oct 2016

While the district of Ramanathapuram has become a hotbed for jihadi activities with a Muslim population of 20 per cent and being a fertile ground for all Islamic fundamentalist organisations, other districts of Tamil Nadu are not far behind. Some like Dindukkal, Vellore, and Thirunelveli follow Ramanathapuram closely, with others catching up. The Hindu Munnani documentary depicts the jihadi activities taking place in 19 other districts as well.

Dindukkal

In the Muslim-dominated Begampur area of Dindukkal, it is reported that no procession, whether a temple festival procession or funeral procession, is allowed to pass by the mosque. This mosque was built by Hyder Ali and has, since 1952, been serving as headquarters for the fundamentalist Tablighi Jamaat, a proselytizing and revivalist movement. The documentary asserts that this mosque has become a safe haven for fundamentalists and their activities.

Besides restricting processions, they do not allow even electoral campaigns in the area. On 18 April 2014, cadres of actor Vijayakanth’s DMDK were restricted from campaigning and were attacked when they persisted. The local inspector justified this, saying that the party cadres should not have come to the ‘prohibited area’. The police cannot take any kind of action against the community either for a traffic offence or a petty crime as the police station would be besieged by hundreds of Muslims protesting against the action.

The documentary asserts that conversions and love jihad are happening in Dindukkal. The brother of a girl who was converted through love jihad has testified in the documentary. A local BJP leader also testifies about the proselytizing activities of fundamentalist organisations, which run centers (“Arivagam”) for the purpose. Exclusive centres for women are also there. The documentary says that most of the cell phone service centers are owned by fundamentalists, who tacitly provide the numbers of Hindu girls to jihadis, Muslim auto drivers provide details of movement of Hindu girls.

Three years ago, when the Tamil Nadu government announced that it would construct a memorial for Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan as ‘freedom fighters’, members of Hindu Munnani protested and conducted a sustained and successful campaign against it. The Dindukkal Hindus overwhelmingly supported the campaign leading to government dropping the idea of constructing the memorial on public land. During that campaign police filed cases against Hindu Munnani cadres for pasting posters in the town. But when posters appeared against the Hindu Munnani, the police refrained from filing cases and removed the posters themselves, as shown in the documentary.

The documentary says that several mosques have come up on all the bypass roads leading to Dindukkal and most have become save havens for fundamentalists and their activities. Today, Dindukkal town is literally under jihadi siege. Mohammed Haneefa alias ‘Tenkasi’ Haneefa, an accused in a case pertaining to placing of pipe bombs along the route of BJP leader L.K. Advani’s rath yatra in 2011, was arrested when hiding in a mosque in Vathalagundu near Dindukkal.

Palani, sacred abode of Lord Murugan, is in Dindukkal district. Fundamentalists have encroached upon the footpath (taking shops on lease and sublease) leading to the hill shrine and indulged in sacrilegious and immoral activities. Finally the local Hindus had to file court cases leading to the court ordering the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowment department to clear the footpath leading to the shrine of encroachments. Senthil, who belongs to the organisation which filed the case, testifies in detail in the documentary.

Islamic fundamentalism has raised its head in places such as Sithaiyan Kottai, Aathoor, Aiyyampaalayam, Vathala Kundu, Nilakkottai, Chinnalappatti, Kodaikanal, Pazhani, Neykarapatti, Kalayamputhur, Aayakudi, Chathirapatti, Viruppaachi, Oddanchathiram, Kallimandayam, Kannivaadi, Sriramapuram, Vedasandur, Vadamadurai, Ayyalur, Kovilur, Kujiliyampaarai, Natham, Vempaarpatti, Gopalpatti, Sendhurai, Keeranoor, Maanoor, Balasamuthiram in Dindukkal district.

Sivaganga

Amidst several jihadi incidents, the documentary notes two specific issues in Sivaganga district. In the aftermath of the murder of Dr. Arvind Reddy in Vellore in 2012, the BJP organized a protest meeting at Illayangudi. Senior BJP leader and national general secretary H. Raja was addressing the gathering, condemning the effete police and the MLA Jawahirullah, when hundreds of fundamentalists belonging to TMMK pelted stones and threatened the leader and other functionaries. The meeting came to an abrupt end and the police simply registered cases against ‘unknown persons’ and allowed the case die a natural death. H. Raja explains the incident in detail in the documentary.

In another place called Piranmalai, extremists have been making bombs from a secret location in a nearby hill for years. A series of incidents have happened in Madurai in the last few years, though on a small scale, with bombs procured from this Piranmalai, which, due to police indifference, has become a den for terrorism.

Thanjavur

In April 2014, Muruganandam, the BJP candidate for the Lok Sabha, was targeted by a mob while campaigning at Mallipattinam in Thanjavur district. When Muslims objected to his campaigning in the locality dominated by them, Muruganandam asserted his democratic right as a candidate and tried to continue campaigning. However, he and his party men were attacked. The police came and forced Muruganandam to leave the place. In the meantime, the jihadis, who indulged in violence, took refuge in a nearby mosque. The documentary shows the entire incident, at the end of which police were seen begging the jihadis to come out. They finally took a few jihadis sent by the leaders in the mosque for filing cases. Muruganandam explains the incident in detail in the documentary.

Conversion is also rampant in the district and the documentary details the conversion of four women (Lokeswari, Ambika, Sharmila and Kalaichelvi of Pasupathi Kovil area) and how they were separated from their families.

Thiruvarur

Muthupettai in Thiruvarur district is a den of Islamic fundamentalism. In December 2013, police caught hold of a drone that fell in a residential area, which belonged to one Thameem. It has the capacity to capture images in a periphery of 200 meters and record voices. A camera was also fitted in it. Yet, the police returned the drone to him terming it a play toy. The documentary questions this action as Muthupettai is notorious for jihadi activities and many smuggling activities are going on in the nearby coastal areas.

Nagapattinam

Nagapattinam is another coastal district fast catching up with Ramanathapuram in terms of Islamic fundamentalism. In a government-aided Muslim educational institution, Gavudhiya Higher Secondary School, a Hindu teacher, Selvaraj, was sent to prison on false charges of sexual harassment for being a supporter of Narendra Modi as the Prime ministerial candidate. Although the school management is aware of the truth, it was helpless due to the pressure exerted by the local MLA Nizamudhin.

The documentary describes the rampant conversions going on in Nagore and Nagapattinam. Hindu youth, both male and female, working in textile shops and mobile service outlets, which are mostly owned by Muslims, are extremely vulnerable to conversions. Most of these workers belong to the Scheduled Castes and are converted easily by threat and enticements. The documentary, citing the family of one Shanthi as example, asserts that more than 30 youth have been converted in Nagore alone and the organisation behind this is Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath.

The documentary also talks about secret terror training camps in Nagore. It cites a grove behind a restaurant called ‘Nice Hotel’ which allegedly serves as a den for fundamentalists. It shows various other incidents such as disruption of Hindu festivals, demeaning of Hindu Gods, encroachment of temple lands, etc., happening widely in Nagapattinam district, which is very fertile ground for fundamentalist organisations like PFI, TMMK and Thowheed Jamath.

Karaikkal

Karaikkal, a town close to Nagore, is a part of the Union Territory of Pondicherry. When Al Umma was banned in Tamil Nadu for indulging in terrorist activities, including the RSS office bomb blasts and Coimbatore serial bomb blasts, the Pondicherry government refrained from banning it. This helped the organisation to create a den out of Karaikkal. So, Karaikkal, despite a low density Muslim population, served as a safe haven for the fundamentalist elements of nearby Tamil Nadu towns.

Here also Love jihad and subsequent conversion are rampant. Properties are being bought by Muslims on a large scale and obstruction of temple festivals and processions are widespread.

Cuddalore

Parangipettai, a coastal town in Cuddalore district is another jihadi den. Gul Mohammed Maraikair (37) of Parangipettai was deported by Singapore when found influencing the Muslim youth there to join ISIS by giving them jihadi literature. He was also instrumental in influencing and sending one Fakrudheen from Singapore to Syria in July 2014. Fakrudheen, of Parangipettai, was working in Singapore while his parents are still in Cuddalore. He went to Syria directly from Singapore along with his family and is fighting for ISIS now.

One Ashraf Ali, an Indian Mujahideen operative from Rajasthan, was hiding here for a while before he was arrested by Rajasthan’s anti-terror squad in July 2014. Another resident of Parangipettai, Qutbuddhin, was picked up by the state police in connection with the murder of Hindu Munnani leader Suresh from Ambattur, Chennai.

When Tamil separatist actor, Seeman, president of ‘Naam Thamizhar Party.’ organized a public meeting in Cuddalore in support of LTTE and its late leader Prabhakaran, he had brought in Kashmiri separatist, Yasin Malik, to address the gathering in May 2013. The documentary shows Parangipettai as a breeding ground for jihadi terror.

Kanchipuram

Kanchipuram district, which is close to Chennai, has pockets of Islamic fundamentalism. Tambaram is one such pocket, where the TMMK is very strong. The organisation launched its political party, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK), here. The Tambaram market is dominated by fundamentalists who are creating all sorts of problems for Hindu traders; the documentary describes some incidents.

Similarly, Madippakkam is another area where jihad is on the rise. Encroachments and illegal constructions are going on by jihadis. Yakub, district president of TMMK, was involved in attacking the US Consulate in Chennai during protests against the film ‘Innocence of Muslims’.

Vellore

Vellore district’s two towns, Ambur and Vaniyambadi, is another hotbed of Islamic fundamentalism. With the support of a Dalit party, Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi, they fundamentalists attempted to convert a building near the famous Jalakandeswarar Temple inside Vellore Fort as a mosque. The Communists supported the move, but Hindus thwarted the move by forcing the authorities to act.

In a place called Sathuvachari, the fundamentalist attempted to encroach government land and build a mosque there. This move was also thwarted by Hindu Munnani.

When the Tamil daily, Dinamalar, carried a news item regarding the famous ‘Danish Cartoons’ episode, thousands of Muslims laid siege at its office and the daily was forced to apologise and express regret in the following issue.

When the Railway Police intercepted and apprehended some suspects taking 52 children from West Bengal and Bihar by train at Katpadi Junction for interrogation, hundreds of fundamentalists gathered at the railway station to protest. Inquiries revealed that the children were being taken to a madrassa in Kerala. Officials from the Children Welfare Committee came and conducted further enquiry. As more fundamentalists started gathering at the station, the State’s Reserve Police intervened and arranged for special compartments and sent the children and the caretakers to Kerala by another train. However, the Children Welfare Committee officials were helpless and regretted the release of the children who were transported without valid documents by the caretakers. Both the Police and Child Welfare Board appeared impotent.

Following the successive murders of BJP leader Dr. Aravind Reddy and Hindu Munnani leader Vellaiyappan, the functionaries of both the organisations have become vulnerable. As the Police have been found wanting, especially after the infamous Ambur riots, Islamic aggression continues unabated in the district.

Chennai

In December 2012, Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath distributed handbills denigrating Hindu saint Vadalur Ramalinga Vallalar. When Hindu Munnani lodged a complaint with the Triplicane Police, they refrained from taking any action.

Mannady is notorious for jihadi activities. On 23 February 2014, jihadis molested a Hindu girl and assaulted her brother as well. When the city Hindu Munani secretary Elango went to the local police station to lodge a complaint against the jihadis, his car was attacked and he was threatened. The police, instead of taking action against the jihadis, pleaded to Elango not to aggravate matters. Elango has given a detailed description of the incident in the documentary. The Police filed a petty case under Section 75 against the jihadis, so that they can get out with just a nominal fine.

In January 2014, jihadis attempted a murderous assault on Sri Vedantam, former International Working President of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, when he was going to Washermanpet to inaugurate a few local units of VHP. He explains the inaction of police in the matter, in the documentary.

Jihadis attempted to unleash terror at the Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair in 2014. Apprehended students, who intruded at the fair, were in possession of stall details, international debit cards, mobile SIM cards of other States, etc. The cadres of Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath immediately assembled near the vicinity of the fair and protested against the arrest of the three jihadi students.

The Hindu Munnani office at Chintadripet has been receiving ‘threat letters’ quite often, and till date the police could not find out the culprits and solve a single case. The threats varied from threatening to liquidate the leaders of Hindu organisations to demolition of temples by bombs.

The documentary shows a clipping wherein, Jainulabdheen, President of Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath, openly says that his organisation threw bombs at cinema director Maniratnam’s house (for showing Kashmiri terrorists in his film, Roja) and threatened Kamalhasan. Till date the Police have not taken any action against him.

Chennai city has borne the brunt of Islamic aggression (protests against movies such as Innocence of Muslims, Vishwaroopam, Thuppakki) many times. Assaults and murders have also been committed by jihadis in Chennai and the city continues to be vulnerable.

Other districts

The documentary also describes jihadi activities in other districts such as Vizhupuram, Thirunelveli, Theni, Madurai, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Kanyakumari, Thoothukudi, etc. It describes in detail activities such as murders, assaults, love jihad, conversions and training centers (‘Arivagam’), encroachments of temple and public lands, besieging police stations and media houses, obstructing Hindu festivals and processions, unchecked construction of mosques disproportionate to their population, indulged in by jihadis. Arivagam claims to have converted and trained thousands of youth.

The documentary lists 26 organisations which indulge in all kinds of fundamentalist activities in the State. It establishes how the Government is pandering to jihadis by a policy of appeasement, and how the State Police have become ineffective and inefficient due to the policy of the Government.

The complete district wise documentation of jihadi activities can be viewed at the following Youtube link: Tamil Nadu under Jihadi Siege – Part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vrqh1uqmexw&list=PL0pkmZUABXcoEFHm_9RXz-03x-kaak0Ql

(To be concluded…)