Friday, Jun 13, 2003
Friday, Jun 13, 2003 |
| Southern States | ||||
|
News:
Front Page |
National |
Southern States |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Southern States
-
Tamil Nadu
By K.T. Sangameswaran
The Government has already banned the Tamil Nadu Liberation Army led by Tamizharasan, who was lynched by the public after a bank dacoity at Ponparappi in Perambalur district, and the little-known Tamil Nationalist Retrieval Troops, whose role was detected by the police in the kidnap of the Kannada matinee idol, Rajkumar, by the forest brigand, Veerappan's gang in 2000. The official sources say the Tamizhar Viduthalai Iyakkam, masqueraded as an organisation following democratic principles, though it actually indulged in activities detrimental to maintenance of the public peace and order. The government order explains that members of the outfit damaged public property, indulged in extortion from local traders, bus and lorry operators and theatre owners. Still worse, the group, stated to be a breakaway faction of Tamizharasan's outfit, resolved disputes through ``katta panchayats'' and intimidated people and collected money. The Government said members of Ilavarasan's organisation also indulged in kidnap, assault, perpetration of crimes on SCs and STs and planting of explosives, thereby creating panic among the people. In the past, several of the members were part of the TNLA, supported the banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, advocated separatism and declared their intent to form a separate ``Tamizh Desa Thaayagam''. Their possessing explosives and detonators proved their nefarious designs. The Government also had documentary evidence, which necessitated declaring the organisation unlawful in the interest of maintaining the public order, say the sources. The ban will go a long way in nipping in the bud the activities of the organisation as well as similar outfits. But the Government has a mammoth task of identifying and banning individual outfits, which have similar objectives. Police sources concede that it is easy for members of one organisation to join another or start a new one until it is declared unlawful. This could invariably lead to banning of more organisations, when their `unlawful activities' come to light. While some are started to escape the `ban', others come into being as a result of ``personal differences or ego clashes''. The police also do not rule out a close link among the various organisations. What gave a boost to the government efforts at curbing extremist activities was the Centre's ban on the TNLA and the TNRT under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. The Tamil Nadu Government wrote to the Centre as early as in 2000 seeking a ban on the two outfits. After the AIADMK Government took over, it followed up the matter with the Centre. The police sources also cited the blasting of the Marudayar rail bridge by the TNLA and the consequent tragedy involving the Rockfort Express, and involvement of both the TNLA and TNRT in the Rajkumar abduction episode and their suspected links with the LTTE.
Printer friendly
page
News:
Front Page |
National |
Southern States |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
|
|
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | Business Line | The Sportstar | Frontline | The Hindu eBooks | Home |
Copyright © 2003, The
Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu
|
