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Muslim fundamentalists in TN were planning a UP-style grand political alliance

N Sathiya Moorthy in Madras

Terrorist activities apart, Islamic fundamentalists were aiming at a socio-political coalition of the Uttar Pradesh or Bihar-type in Tamil Nadu, revealed intelligence sources in Madras.

The idea was to forge a political coalition between the Muslims and the scheduled castes, particularly in the southern districts, and make it a formidable combine that political parties in the state could not ignore during election time.

"The idea was to unite the Muslim community, and align it with the scheduled castes, then bargain with the existing political parties for a due share in social acceptability and electoral power," says the intelligence source handling fundamentalism as a fallout of the Coimbatore blasts case. "And those behind this move had taken into account, the success of such a coalition in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where however the Muslims have aligned mainly with backward class leaders and parties."

The strategy, it is said, was discussed at a meeting of Islamic fundamentalists held at Kochi, Kerala, a few months back, chaired by Abdul Nasser Madani, president of the People's Democratic Party. Madani is now in the custody of the Tamil Nadu police, after being arrested by their Kerala counterparts, for interrogation in the Coimbatore blasts case.

The Kochi meeting, the sources say, had discussed two main issues: one, consolidating Muslim political power in the southern states, and two, coordinating their terrorist activities in the south.

With the PDP failing to take off electorally in Kerala, where politics is too polarised to be of any comfort for Islamic fundamentalists, they seem to have turned their attention to Tamil Nadu. "Here, the growth of community-based organisations and political parties gave them some hope. So was the dwindling hold of the established political parties."

In this context, the source says the Coimbatore blasts have the prospect of uniting the Muslim community in the medium-term. "Right now, most of the community in the state is strongly against terrorism, and feels that it will only affect their traditional relationship with the Hindus. But over a period, the Hindu fears could turn into suspicion against every Muslim neighbour, and that's when the Muslim community would want to stand united, whatever the reason, whatever the cause. It happened to Muslims in Kashmir, and to Sikhs in Punjab."

For this, the fundamentalists had planned to 'capture' the Muslim community from within. "The idea was to 'capture' the mosque and various jamaad committees across the state, by getting sympathetic candidates elected for different posts. In a community that still abides by the fatwa of the local clergy, a step towards organised political bargaining would have only been a natural follow-up."

Reference is made to the two-year-old Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam, a fledgeling political party independent of the Muslim League, in this context.

Simultaneously, plans were also reportedly afoot for the Muslim community to identity political partners, who would help raise their combined electoral stakes and might. Though no one in particular was identified, the Devendra Kula Velalar Federation and the much-maligned and numerically-strong scheduled castes in the southern districts would have been a natural choice.

"The famous 'Meenakshipuram conversions' of the local scheduled castes to Islam took place in the southern districts in the early eighties, and they would have been a natural ally. The SCs average 25 per cent of the voting population across the state, and the Muslims, another five to seven per cent. And together, they would have become a formidable combine."

Here, however, the intelligence source refers to the differences between the Devendra Kula Velalars in the southern districts and the dominant Adi Dravidar sect of the SCs in the northern districts.

"Though no scheme seemed to have been worked out for bringing together the Muslims and the Adi Dravidars, they would have been the natural target. Maybe, the backward classes would have been targeted, otherwise.''

The source also has a word of caution: that over-doing of the 'fundamentalist and terrorist' news stories, particularly by a section of the Tamil media, could have adverse affects on the psyche of the Muslim community, at large. "Suddenly, they find the entire community and individual Muslims -- innocent and patriotic as they maybe -- suspects. Like the Sikhs, these Muslims too may face harassment and embarrassment. And that could have potential for mischief."

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