If the views expressed by security experts, especially professionals who have put in decades of service in the fields of internal security and intelligence, are any indication, the States of Tamil Nadu and Kerala are as good as tinderboxes where terrorist activities could happen anytime.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a security alert early this month to both the States pointing out the vulnerability of Tamil Nadu and Kerala for terrorist activities. The porous coastline of Kerala and Tamil Nadu is a matter of serious concern to the authorities as it has been found that Islamic terrorists operating out of Sri Lanka and Maldives could enter and exit these States without any hassles.
Intelligence officials told The Pioneer that the MHA has issued a security alert exclusively for the police force of the concerned States and the intelligence agencies operating from these States. “There were more than a dozen raids by the National Investigation Agency in various places of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The raids led to unearthing a number of discriminating documents and the arrest of many youth who were indoctrinated by organisations like the Islamic State, Jaiesh-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. It is an open secret that there are media houses in these States funded by the above mentioned organisations,” said an intelligence official privy to the MHA letter.
The MHA note is in the backdrop of the Republic Day celebrations of 2020 and warns of possible terrorist activities in the run up to the January 26 celebrations. “The Ministry issues such directives and warnings based on the prevailing security situation. The MHA might have felt that the prevailing internal security situation in these States are not normal and require extra care to handle it,” said N Gopalaswamy, former Chief Election Commissioner who was also the country’s home secretary for considerable period.
But Dr TP Senkumar, former State Police Chief of Kerala who was also the director of State Intelligence said that the situation in Kerala was grave. “Various organisations funded by international agencies have indoctrinated youth in the State and they have infiltrated into many major political parties in Kerala. I am aghast to understand that these terrorist and extremist elements are the ones who mould the policies and stances of these political parties. Though we have warned the State Government many times, no action has been taken by the authorities,” Dr Senkumar told The Pioneer.
He said the recent shoot out in the State in which four Maoists were gunned down by the police prove that the Left Wing Extremist outfit too has been infiltrated by the Islamic youth. The Government has to take urgent and effective action to neutralise this phenomenon lest South India turns into a region controlled by extremists of all kind.
The war of words between the BJP and the DMK over the desecration of the statue of poet savant Thiruvalluvar by some unidentified elements have vitiated the political discourse in Tamil Nadu. Dravidian leaders like MK Stalin and Veeramani lambasted the BJP for trying to saffronise Thiruvalluvar by draping him with saffron shawl and sindoor, the Hindutwa leaders are out on a mission to portray the poet who is believed to have lived during the period 100 to 500 CE as a Hindu.