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May 19, 1998
COMMENTARY
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The Rediff Interview/S A Basha'Islamic fundamentalism is the right answer to Hindu fundamentalism'
His name has been on the lips of every Tamilian these last few months. Prior to that, he was known only to the cops, and to politicians and journalists. But S A Basha hit the headlines with the Coimbatore serial blasts of February 14, on which night he was arrested and the organisation that he heads, the Al Umma, banned. What caused eyebrows to raise, and even gave him the benefit of the doubt, was his casual presence at the Madras headquarters of the Islamic fundamentalist organisation, when the police went there to arrest its inmates and seal the office as a natural follow-up to the ban order.
A one-time timber merchant from neighbouring Kerala, who had a business going in Coimbatore before he turned to near full-time "preaching and practising" of the political philosophy he now speaks about, Basha has since been making news even inside the courtrooms of Madras. Though he has been detained under the National Security Act, he is also facing a criminal case relating to the blast at the state headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in Madras a few years back.
The Central Bureau of Investigation, which is prosecuting him, has demanded the cancellation of his bail, and even the presiding judge last time round had to reprimand him for shouting slogans against the state and the judiciary inside the court-room. With the result, his counsel had to apologise to the court on his behalf -- Basha himself not exactly feeling up to it.
He spoke to What do you think was the provocation behind the Coimbatore blasts? It had a lot to do with the humiliation of the Muslim community over a period, particularly the Ayodhya demolition. But the immediate cause was the November riots. But the November riots followed the killing of a police constable by some Muslim youths... Yes. But it had started with the Coimbatore police picking up a Muslim youth for violating the one-way traffic rule on November 29, and three others going to the police station seeking his release. The cops did not treat them properly, leading to the killing of the constable, Selvaraj. But when the issue came up, we ourselves handed over the three youth to police. So what's your complaint? That innocent Muslims in Coimbatore were targeted by the police and the RSS following the constable's killing. Many Muslims were killed in the rampage, and their properties, including textile shops and other business establishments, valued at billions of rupees, were burnt before everyone's eyes. So were the serial blasts of February 14 a direct fall-out of this? Yes. They destroyed mosques, burnt copies of the Quran. Muslims as a community were targeted in senseless revenge and even the victims of the mayhem who were being rushed to hospital were not spared. Was Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence involved in the blasts? None, not at all. But should violence be used to counter violence? What else? We only ask to be allowed to live in honour, and we cannot beg them for it. That way, yes, Islamic fundamentalism alone is the right answer to Hindu fundamentalism. Aren't you being too harsh? Who started it all? The RSS, the Bajrang Dal, the Hindu Munnani, the Sangh Parivar... They were the ones who started forming groups, training them in armed exercises, making provocative and demeaning speeches, and even calling for full-time employees to protect the Hindus. What about your organisation, the Al Umma? The Al Umma was formed only after the Ayodhya demolition. And we will continue our fight in all forms until the mosque is re-built there at the same site. Will not this kind of meaningless violence and senseless killings isolate the Muslim community from the mainstream? Not at all. See what the BJP and the Sangh Parivar did at Ayodhya, and where they are now. Though it may look like the Muslims are being isolated in the short-term, in the long run it will work out well when everyone realises that we are not anti-people in our attitude or approach. Still, is it not true that the Coimbatore blasts have made the ordinary Muslim a suspect in the eyes of others.... You may have a point, but we have to sacrifice something for the greater good. Even if an entire community is wasted at the end of it all, we will still be seen only as a martyr for truth. Anyway, what happened to the Vanniar community in Tamil Nadu? They fought for their rights, they were affected, even marginalised at one time, but today they are reaping the socio-political benefits ( in the form of job reservations, and their political party, the Pattali Makkal Katchi, has four Lok Sabha members, one of whom is a Union minister). You used to speak highly of the DMK government in the state... But they are the ones who banned us. The RSS was banned thrice, but no one was arrested at any time, whereas our leaders and cadres have been arrested now. Why, Ashok Singhal was even addressing public meetings and press conferences when the VHP was banned after the Ayodhya demolition. But all this cannot wipe out our movement. What then is the solution to all this? We are a reactionary force, reacting only to the words and deeds of the Hindutva forces. Let them end their anti-Muslim stand, rebuild the Ayodhya mosque, stop talking about a uniform civil code. You will then see the solution. EARLIER REPORTS:
Al Umma and PDP targeted Advani on Feb 14, says Karunanidhi
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