Talibanization of Ramanathapuram - not by Muslims but by Administration

- Naranan Nambi 

Three hundred and fifty State and District level office bearers of RSS, South Tamil Nadu were arrested at Devipattinam when they were playing in the beach which is totally outside the town, on Saturday, the 14th June, 2014. RSS was conducting its annual State level meeting in a private management school situated near the beach, and games followed by a prayer in the evening is a routine as per their time table. Since the school in which the meeting was held has no sufficient ground for 350 to play, they just chose the beach which would not disturb anyone in any way.

The arrest was carried out by DSP Mr Annamalai Alwar, even though the RSS leaders agreed to disburse after a 3 minutes peaceful prayer, Mr Annamalai Alwar was more specific in getting them arrested than to allow them to go back. No police procedure in dispersing a crowd or arresting them was followed by the officials. Those who got arrested were simply wondering under which act they have been arrested and why it was not told to them.

Yes, true to their promise, RSS leaders started disbursing calmly which made Annamalai Alwar go mad against them. "You cowards why are you disbursing, don't you have the guts, Potta naikala (bitches) he shouted at the leaders. I will not allow you to disburse. Let me see whether it is you or me, you all are under arrest". Events got ugly once. Some RSS persons started replying Mr Annamalai in their own style.

The DSP Mr Annamalai Alwar did not issue any order of prohibition to the authorities of RSS. He has not spoken to any senior officials of RSS asking them to disburse. A 30 member team of police came, surrounded the RSS cadres as if they were indulging in some illegal agitation. The police team was very keen on arresting the RSS cadres. Though the RSS Secretary Aadal arasan told them that they would disburse peacefully after three minutes prayer, his assurance fell into deaf ears of Annamalai Alwar. He and his companions Inspector Vivekanandan and ADSP velladurai did not show patience even for the three minutes when the cadres recited the Prayer peacefully. When the cadres were just rendering the prayers, these trio used all abusive words against them. 

1. The prayer meeting was peaceful.

2. No lethal weapons were with RSS cadres who played in the beach sand

3. No one has complained about the presence of RSS cadres in the beach

4. None of the cadre was in RSS uniform, just they were playing.

4. The Nava Bhasahan beach is a pilgrim centre where a lot of devotees assemble and pray peacefully in groups which doesn't at all attract arrest

5. The activities of RSS cadres have no motives, other than just to play in the beach

6. RSS cadres obeyed law and order and were disbursing calmly

7. The entire area of two kilometers is out of the village, and there is no potential for disturbance to the people of the village. None of the villagers used to come there for recreation or for any such time passing.

The above facts would prove that the assembly of the RSS cadres which was not even an actus rea was converted into mens rea by the police. On the contract the Police action can surely be termed as an act of mens rea.

When the conditions prevailing at the beach did not warrant arrest, why Mr Annamalai Alwar was specific in arresting them is the million dollar question. What was the intention behind arrest them? If an arrest order was issued to him who gave that order? It could be easily assumed that Mr Annamalai Alwar had gone berserk once the RSS behaved gently without protesting and started dispersing calmly make him think how could an arrest me made to please the higher authorities? If they dispersed calmly what would the higher authorities do if he did not obey their order by not arresting them?

Needle of suspicion points towards the District SP Mr Mayil Vahanan and District collector Mr Nandakumar whose past record clearly shows that they both always indulged in anti-Hindu activities. The SP Mr Mayil Vahanan was spotted some two km away at the National highway road with his team of police when the arrest was going on in the beach.

Mr Ramamurthy, District President of Hindu Munnani told this writer that he conveyed to the SP about the arrests and requested him not to make an issue out of a non-issue and also to give suitable orders. The SP is stated to have replied, "Sir, I have issued only oral orders to arrest them, so please ask your leaders and cadres to cooperate and we will release them without filing a case in an hour or two". Then Mr Ramamurthy warned him to resist from arresting or he would face severe protest. His phone calls to the District Collector's direct number did not get any response.

The arrested cadres and leaders were taken around the town in police van before they were lodged in a Kalyana Mandapam which is located just 50 meters away from the beach where they got arrested. Mr Kuppuramu, senior BJP leader asked "why were they taken on police van around the town when the kalyana Mandapam is just walkable from the arrested area? Is it to show case the Muslim community that we arrested RSS people bravely? At whose instance they did it? "

The arrested RSS leaders were released within three hours after agitation broke out throughout Tamil Nadu. Agitation took place spontaneously on hearing the news, at more than 12 districts of Tamilnadu. Intervention from Central Home Ministry and State DGP office has unnerved the local district administration. Among the arrested were All India Executive member Sethu Madhavan Ji, Kshetra Karyavah S.Rajendran Ji, Kshetra Pracharak Stanumalayan Ji, Kshetra Seva Pramuk Shri Padmakumarji etc.

A five member team consisting of Shri. Padmakumar JI, Shri Veerabahu JI (Editor, Vijayabharatham), Shri Adal arasan (RSS State Secretary, South Tamil Nadu), Shri Nambi narayanan, Journalist and Shri Ramamurthy (District President, Hindu Munnani) met the SP on the same night around 10.30 pm in his office and presented him a petition requesting to take action against the errant police officers. The team narrated him on how an issue was made out of a non-issue by the folly of DSP Aannamalai Alwar, ADSP Velladurai and Inspector Vivekanandan. The SP has promised to take necessary action against the errant police officers. The SP was told in no uncertain terms not to let off the errant police officers.

Later on Sunday, the 15th June, a press meeting was conducted at Ramanathpuram to explain the factual position. The meeting was addressed by Shri. Mari Muthu, State President of RSS, Shri. Padmakumar, Shri Shri Adal arasan and Shri Kuppuramu. When a press person asked "why RSS chose a Muslim majority village - Devipattinam - for its State Committee meeting, Shri Adalarasn questioned him "why a Muslim dominated village should not be chosen, please tell me the reasons. Is not Devipattinam a pilgrim Centre of the Hindus from age old days? This attitude that no Hindu activity should happen in a Muslim majority area is the biggest problem facing our nation that is isolating them from others. When Muslims are allowed to have their activities in Hindu dominated areas, is it fair that Hindus should not have any activity in Muslim dominated areas? Is it not a discrimination?" The reporter kept mum.

The readers may be aware that Ramanathapuram is getting talibanised gradually as proved by the events happening in the past few years. What is more shocking is that the district administration is also abetting such talibanisation. It seems that election of MLAs belonging to Muslim community for four successive terms and recently the MP also from that community has added to the temerity of the administration to think of such nefarious activities. As a first step to save Ramanathapuram from talibanisation, it is high time that the District administration is get rid of the anti-Hindu, pro-Muslim administration.