Coimbatore: During her recent visit to Coimbatore, BJP state president Tamilisai Sounderajajan had said that the city was turning into a haven of extremist elements. She listed out recent cases of violence, including the petrol bomb attacks on BJP men, to drive her point home. Is it a wakeup call to the intelligence and police officials or just a rabble rousing speech? TOI spoke to a cross section of people – police officers, industrialists, activists as well as BJP men to seek their views. Majority of them felt that the situation in Coimbatore is extremely peaceful and all these incidents were only due to political statements.
According to the intelligence department officers of the Coimbatore city police, there was not a single extremist incident reported in the city for a long time. “Due to certain political statements and acts, some people reacted and hurled petrol bombs. But there is nothing communal in these incidents. Even those making hate speeches have been arrested on a regular basis. We have a strong network and we work continuously with all communities. There is completely no problem in the city,” said a police officer.
Other party leaders called it as an act of politics and not communal disharmony. Ku Ramakrishnan of Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam (TPDK) said, “Certain political parties have some ideas and they always involve in divisive politics. After Sasikumar murder in September 2016, some outfits created a ruckus in the city as they are only interested in all this. They are doing it but they are blaming it on others.”
National council member of People’s union for civil liberties (PUCL) S Bala Murugan said only due to lack of political knowledge, people are making such statements.
Former BJP MP C P Radhakrishnan said that recent petrol bomb attacks on the BJP party office and their office-bearers were extremist acts. “This is almost like taking us back to the pre-bomb blast skirmishes. The intelligence wing of the police should act proactively and stop such activities,” he said. When asked that it was his party members such as national secretary H Raja who started the hate speech, he said they had taken action on those involved in such activities. “We are only trying to alert the police and do not want other political parties to fuel this fire,” he said.
R Nandakumar, BJP state secretary said that the statement did not mean to instigate anyone. “It is only a statement after these incidents. This is not just in Coimbatore but across the state. We want the state police to work with the intelligence bureau and ensure none of the activities are repeated. BJP is always criticized about divisive politics. But none of our leaders have taught us to gain mileage by creating violence and none of us will ever do any such thing.”
Public relations officer of Social Democratic Party S Mansoor Ali said all the political outfits including DMK, AIADMK and Muslim outfits are aware of such strategies. “Public have only laughed at them on social media for making such statements. People know the truth and are aware. Coimbatore is extremely peaceful,” he said.
Public relations secretary of Jamaath-e-Islami-Hind Abdul Hakkim said all the families in Coimbatore irrespective of their religion and caste paid a heavy price after the 1998 bomb blasts as it took us nearly 10 years to set up our businesses back. “Even during the violence that erupted after Sasikumar’s murder, city faced several crores of loss in terms of business,” he said. Apart from some stray incidents of petrol bombs and ideological wars, none of the planned activities or riots will ever take place.
Voicing similar views, Indian Chamber of Commerce, Coimbatore president, Vanitha Mohan said that they will not let anyone divide Coimbatore. “We have been doing several community related activities and we have only experienced harmonious relationship with all communities. Everyone is averse to such policies and activities. We will not permit these forces to divide our city,” she said.
The city police have registered 10 cases for hatred speech made to disturb communal harmony in the past one year. On March 24, three SDPI members and three Hindu Munnani members were arrested for hatred speech by the rural police in Thudiyalur.
