Saffron may conquer Coimbatore as fear spreads
A Ganesh Nadar in Coimbatore
Coimbatore still grapples with communal tension. Fear hangs like Damocles's sword over the city. And the slightest suspicion is enough to create a scare -- and perhaps violence.
At the weekend, the cloth and gold wholesale markets are still closed. The odd shop is half open -- with men clutching their shutters, ready to slam them shut upon sensing trouble. There is hardly any activity at the city's collectorate. But a few chatting mediapersons suddenly started running towards the Pothanur Railway Gate. ''A bomb has been found,'' someone had sent out a shout.
Trucks and cars started fleeing while curious youth inched towards the trouble spot.... Disappointment was writ large as the youth moved away moments later. "Just another bomb scare!"
The scene was similar two months back, when a minor traffic fine led to the stabbing of a police constable. Selvaraj's death triggered a massive backlash against the Muslims. And Al-Umma triggered a major retaliation. It is impossible that the police and the state intelligence knew nothing about it.
The last time Dravida Munnetra Kazagham MP Ramanathan's house was stoned. This time the entire house is in a shambles as the house was set afire after ensuring that the LPG in the kitchen leaked. Luckily there was nobody in the house at that time. Now 10 heavily armed men of the Central Reserve Police Force guard the MP's house. Actually there is nothing inside to guard.
The state government's claim that normalcy has been restored in the city has few takers. Even before the bombs stopped exploding, Muslims shops were looted and burnt down again. And the Muslim majority areas are in turmoil.
Fear has gripped the other communities, too. Nobody knows what will happen next. If the other communities are scared of bombs, the Muslims riots.
Autorickshaws, Marutis and bikes lie abandoned on the streets.
They have been smashed and burnt -- a grim reminder of the blasts and riots. The civic body has not overcome its fear to remove the skeletal remains.
Movement after dusk is extremely difficult. To get to some places, you will have to pass at least 10 checkposts. The slightest suspicion can land you in jail.
Ramamurthy, a mechanic, says, ''I was going to Gandhipuram
by bus when I heard the first explosion. The sound was rather feeble. I presumed somebody was shooting birds. Then, after reaching home, as I was having my dinner, two ear-shattering explosions occurred. I rushed out. Somebody had put a bomb inside Raj Rajeshwari Towers. Luckily the building
did not crash. I heard that Rajendra Textiles was bombed.
I went to see it... All the Muslims shop in the area were burning.
Looting was on. The mob comprised youth between 17 and 20.... One widow, who died at Rajendra Textiles, has left behind
two orphans.''
A real estate broker in Saibaba Colony said, ''There are very few
Muslim shops in this area. They were set on fire. The youths forced everybody to close their shops. In Ukkadam area, where the Muslims are in a majority, they behave like goondas. They deserve it. Karunanidhi is to blame. They were under control during the J Jayalalitha regime.''
Another man said, ''Innocent Muslim businessmen suffer every time the militants strike.''
An autorickshaw driver said, ''Thank god the big bomb at R S Puram was defused. The entire area would have been flattened. You should have seen the rich. They all fell at the feet of the Bomb Disposal Squad chief. They conducted a special prayer for the squad.'' Several posters, thanking the squad, have appeared in R S Puram.
Many Muslim families have fled in fear.
Another autorickshaw driver was apprehensive that bombs may still explode. ''Who knows how many were actually placed? They haven't found all. There is no telling what the militants are plotting now.''
A waiter said they were flinging bombs inside the jail. ''No place
is safe. They found a diary with February 14, 21 and 22 marked.
Now that the election is postponed, bombs will explode on 27 and 28.''
A wholesale merchant Murugesh said, ''A rice bag was found in the gutter. The cops were informed. They moved the bag to a school ground. Inside the rice bag was a school bag. The bombs
were inside that bag.... We are losing business. People from the
surrounding villages and towns are not coming here. This morning I received a call from a Tirupur businessman. He told me 'come and collect your dues. I am not coming there.' ''
Hindu Munnani state secretary Mugambikai Mani is sure that
the people will not come out to vote. ''The men may come but not
the women.'' He accused the Muslims of fleeing before the bomb blasts. ''They knew something was going to happen.''
''The Dravida Munnetra Kazagham government is to blame for the police laxity,'' he said. ''After the riots two months back, the Muslims wanted a Central Bureau of Investigation enquiry, cash compensations and visits by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham supremo J Jayalalitha and Tamil Maanila Congress chief G K Moopanar. Nothing happened. So the militant set off
bombs. They don't care even if the state government is dismissed.''
Rumours have it that the bombs have been made locally or in
Madurai or Sivakasi. However, such a large quantity of explosives cannot be purchased without funds from abroad. The local Al-Umma is not that rich.
Both Al-Umma and Hindu Munnani activists are behind bars. Nobody knows when they will come out, but the people feel that the state government will not let them out at the earliest.
Schools have been closed since February 14. Nobody knows when they would be re-opened -- a source of worry for the 10th class students. But the younger ones don't care.
As for election work, canvassing has come to a standstill after the blasts. But the DMK posters have been torn up at most places, and the Bharatiya Janata Party may win this Lok Sabha seat easily, though many parts of Coimbatore still look dead. The parts that bustle with activity close shop at dusk. All night life has come to a grinding halt.
The people have confidence in the army. The local police is not
respected. They will never regain respect as long as Karunanidhi
keeps them on a leash. Sad that Coimbatore's only hope seems to be Jayalalitha. A tired resident said, ''Who cares if she was corrupt? At least she kept us safe from the militants.''
Elections '98
Tell us what you think of this report
|