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TN government presents white paper on Coimbatore blasts

In an apparent move to pre-empt any attempt by the Centre to destabilise the Tamil Nadu government, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today placed in the state assembly a white paper on the February 14 serial bomb blasts in Coimbatore, affirming his government's commitment to root out religious extremism from the state.

The white paper has been presented even as the opposition All India Anna DMK and its allies are demanding the sacking of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government alleging that it has abetted terrorist activities in the state and the law and order has broken down.

Detailing the actions taken by the government after the blasts to bring the situation under control, Karunanidhi said the government would constitute a special court to try the blasts cases after the police filed the charge-sheets against the accused.

Asserting that the DMK government would never brook terrorism, he said the government would enact legislation to completely neutralise the extremists.

Stating that the demolition of Babri masjid in December 1992 had led to the spread of religious fundamentalism in the state, he said the stabbing to death of a police constable by Al Umma activists and the ensuing communal violence in Coimbatore in November-December last had ultimately led to the blasts.

It was also found that the serial blasts had been carried out as a measure of revenge for the losses suffered by Muslims in the week-long communal violence in which 18 Muslims and four Hindus had been killed.

Karunanidhi made it clear that the state government had not received any specific information from the central agency on involvement of Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence activists in the blasts.

Tracing the growth of religious fundamentalism in Tamil Nadu, the white paper said events marring the reputation of the state as a shining example of communal harmony had started taking place 15 years ago.

Since then, provocative speeches and conflicts over the passage of religious processions had aggravated the animosity, and the state government had to intervene on many occasions to prevent untoward incidents.

Referring to the demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya in December 1992, the white paper said this event had upset the Muslims in the state and led to the spread of fundamentalism.

Pointing out that incidents of violence that targeted individuals had occurred before the demolition, the white paper said after the demolition, a few Muslim extremists started resorting to bomb blasts. It referred to the explosions during the previous All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham regime at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh headquarters and the Hindu Munnani office in Madras, in which 13 persons had been killed.

The white paper recalled that Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, had deputed a five-member BJP parliamentary delegation, led by then leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Sikander Bakht, to visit Tamil Nadu to probe the blasts. The team had conducted investigations and submitted its report, it added.

Referring to the communal violence preceding the February serial blasts, the white paper referred to the murder of Jehad Committee founder-leader Palani Baba at Pollachi on January 28 last year, by certain RSS activists.

This triggered a series of incidents of communal violence in Coimbatore in which four Muslims and two Hindus lost their lives. The police swung into action and took into custody 43 Muslims and 27 Hindus. The textile city was rocked by communal violence again in November last year following the murder of police constable Selvaraj, allegedly by Al Umma activists.

Giving details of the messages received from intelligence agencies about retaliatory attacks planned by Muslim extremists, the white paper said a central agency had indicated on December 21 last year, that Al Umma leader S A Basha had instructed his followers to strike at police stations, gas tankers and the police commissioner's office at Coimbatore.

Following this, a high-level meeting chaired by the chief secretary on December 24 last decided to maintain a close surveillance on Muslim fundamentalist leaders and prepare a contingency plan. The Coimbatore police commissioner had convened a meeting the next day to alert his subordinates. The resultant surveillance led to the arrest of Abdul Rahim, a key accused in the December 6 train blasts in which six passengers had been killed.

The white paper referred to the alerts issued to intensify the monitoring of activities of Al Umma and Jehad Committee following receipt of central agency messages on January 2, 19 and 23 that the two outfits were likely to indulge in violence.

It also listed the 12 alert messages sent to the Coimbatore commissioner between December 3 and 10 about possible retaliatory attacks on the police headquarters and stations as well as Bharat Petroleum installations. Two messages had been sent to the commissioner indicating the places where weapons could have been hidden in the city.

The white paper referred to a message sent to the Coimbatore commissioner on February 10 that Al Umma activists were frequenting a particular building on Thirumal street with the intention of setting off bomb blasts on February 14 or 20. A special branch official stationed in Coimbatore had personally communicated this information to the commissioner and the state additional director-general of police (intelligence) had sent a letter to him on February 12 in this regard.

Following general alerts issued by the state police on February 1, 4, 9 and 10 to monitor the movement and use of explosives, 49 cases were detected all over Tamil Nadu, 81 people were arrested during February 1 to 13 and a large quantity of explosives, including 2,000 country-made bombs, 586 gelatine sticks, 1,595 detonators, eight unlicensed guns and two unlicensed revolvers were seized.

Admitting that no seizures had been made in Coimbatore during this period, the white paper the state government had initiated disciplinary action against the Coimbatore commissioner and other police officers concerned, for their failure to prevent the serial blasts despite several warnings by the state government.

The white paper said no specific information had been received from the Union government or its agencies about the presence of ISI activists in Tamil Nadu, or about their involvement in the Coimbatore blasts. Information, however, was received from time to time that the ISI could cause disturbances in the country, mainly with the help of Kashmir militants and Punjab extremists.

Regarding the issue of security cover for L K Advani during his visit to Coimbatore on February 14, it said he had been provided with security normally given to the prime minister. Necessary arrangements had been made to ensure his safety during his visit to the hospitals to console those injured in the serial blasts. Similar security cover was provided to him during his campaign meeting that night at Tiruchirapalli.

Detailing the steps by the state government, it said Al Umma and Jehad Committee were banned within hours of the blasts and their activists, numbering 119, including Al Umma chief S A Basha taken into custody. The army and the central paramilitary forces were summoned immediately to curb the violence in Coimbatore. Six fundamentalists who had taken shelter in a building on Thirumal street were killed when the bombs in their possession exploded during a police raid. Eight others were arrested.

The white paper said 259 people had been arrested and 28 others detained under the National Security Act at Coimbatore after the November riots and before the serial blasts.

Following the serial blasts, a special investigation team of the CB-CID had so far arrested 102 of the 158 people identified as accused in the blasts. Eight accused were known to have died. Thirtyfive people were detained under the NSA. Ali Abdullah, a key accused in the December 6 train blasts, was nabbed at Tiruvarur.

It said the extremists had procured explosives from Karnataka and two persons belonging to that state were arrested. Huge caches of arms were unearthed from various places in Coimbatore and Madras. The arms hauls in Madras included 1,042 detonators, five Country-made bombs, 37 petrol bombs, 187 gelatine sticks, a time bomb, two tin bombs, 12 box bombs, three pipe bombs and three unlicensed revolvers.

Detailing the administrative steps taken after the blasts, the white paper said it was decided that police chiefs of all southern states and Pondicherry would meet every month to put down terrorist activities.

The white paper said Rs 65 million had been sanctioned as immediate relief to the blast victims. The report of the Justice P R Gokulakrishnan Commission, appointed to inquire into the November riots and the serial blasts, was awaited to decide the quantum of compensation to the affected persons.

It said as a result of the steps taken by the state government, the serial blasts did not have any impact in any other parts of Tamil Nadu. Due to the vigil mounted by the state police, no untoward incident took place on March 19, when the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government assumed office at the Centre.

It also stated that the Union home ministry team headed by Ashok Kumar, which visited Tamil Nadu last week to assess the law and order situation, had expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by the state government and the state police.

The government had made a forceful plea to the Centre for grant of Rs 100 million every year to modernise the police force, deployment of a Rapid Action Force battalion in Coimbatore, ban on Al Umma and Jehad Committee in other states in which they were operating and laying down stringent regulations for storage, possession and transport of explosives, the white paper concluded.

UNI

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