It was on Monday, Dec 1st, 2008, Vigil, a public opinion forum functioning in Chennai, had organised a meeting to voice the citizens’ ire at the callousness of the UPA government in handling the threats of the terrorist organisations. Arun Shourie, as the main speaker, lashed out at the Central Government for failing to act upon the inputs of imminent attacks by terrorists. Prior to Shourie, spoke an editor of a daily newspaper. While addressing the gathering, he made use of the cliched term ‘fortunately Tamil Nadu is a haven of peace’. It is a falsehood peddled often by either the AIADMK or the DMK when in power. Instantly, several alert Hindu men and women in the audience stood up in protest. They pointed to the gruesome 1993 terrorist attack on the RSS office.
On that fateful Sunday, August 8, 1993, an annual flagship event of RSS, Chennai Guru Pooja public function was celebrated in the forenoon with usual fervor and gaiety in Narada Gana Sabha, Alwarpet, Chennai. After the event, members disbursed without any hint of what was to strike at them in the very same afternoon. Yes, at around 2.30 pm, a powerful RDX bomb exploded at RSS head quarters of Tamil Nadu situated in Chetpet, Chennai. It killed 11 people, 8 young pracharks – full timers – and 3 Sangh supporters who had come to meet RSS pracharaks. 7 were injured.
As the investigation progressed, it unfolded that the jihadis were secretly training themselves to attack RSS. Their intention was to terrorise Hindu society. Though this attack left a permanent scar in the hearts of nationalists, it did not dispirit the RSS members, nor did it alienate the general public from RSS.
One of the pracharaks who died in the blast was Kasinathan, Kasi to dear ones. He left his nationalized bank job to join as RSS full timer. After serving in districts, he was then the office secretary in Chennai. By his quick completion of even tough tasks, friendly and yet firm dealing with colleagues he had endeared himself to one and all. He was reclining in his seat after lunch and he was hit by the beam that came down in the impact of the blast. As he had submitted a willingness form, his eyes were donated to Sankara Netralaya.
Two days later, in a daily Shaka meeting somewhere in Tirunelveli district, the Mukya Sikshak shared the details of the incident and the government led by Jayalalita was offering to provide funds for rebuilding the office. Spontaneously, came a response from a Swayamsevak (a school student); he said, “Ji, we should not accept money from the government. We should build from money from our own sources and by getting donations from the society. Exactly the same was the official response from RSS which was formally communicated to the state government by the then General Secretary, Mananeeya H V Seshadriji politely refusing to accept the offer. For an outsider this may be a surprise, but those who are associated with RSS know that in Sangha irrespective of age, location, position in the organization, all think in the same lines and speak in one voice while serving the national cause. Yes, within one year a new spacious building rose up in the same site with generous support – blessings from all sections of Hindu society – Matadhipatis to daily wagers.
During the probe, it was found that Islamic jihadis were hiding and training themselves for a long time to attack the RSS and terrorize Hindu society. S.A. Basha (died a few years ago due to aged related issues) was the prime accused and 15 others were arrested under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act for their alleged involvement in the blast and for possession of lethal weapons.
The other hardcore Al-Umma activists who were arrested included its State Secretary M. Mohammed Ansari, Mujibur Rehman, Ojir, Mohammed Aslam, Siraj alias Auto Siraj and Ahmed Pasha. This was followed by riots against the Hindus in December marking the first anniversary of demolishment of the Babri Masjid. 25 years later in 2018, the main accused Mushtaq Ahmed was arrested by CBI. Conviction is still pending. CBI that probed the bomb blast case, filed a charge sheet against 18 persons under the stringent provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Explosive Substances Act and Terrorist and Detructive Activities Act (TADA) in 1994. Immam Ali, a suspected ISI agent who had escaped from custody in Madurai, was gunned down in Bangalore in an encounter with the police on September 29, 2002, while another accused– Jihad Committee Founder Palani Baba– was hacked to death on January 28, 1997. Of the 431 witnesses, 224 were examined during the course of the trial which commenced on August 7, 1995.
Nearly 24 years after the RSS Madras headquarters bombing by al-Ummah in which 11 people were killed, the CBI arrested a key accused Mushtaq Ahemed from the outskirts of Chennai in January 2018. CBI announced a reward of 10 lakh for providing credible information about him. He allegedly procured explosive material for assembling the bomb and provided shelter to other accuseds.
In June 2007, a special TADA court convicted 11 out of 18 accused. Three individuals received life imprisonment, while eight others received lesser terms, and four were acquitted. The court had acquitted four persons, including SA Basha, founder of the banned Al Umma for lack of evidence against them.
Immam Ali, a suspected ISI agent who had escaped from custody in Madurai, was gunned down in Bangalore in an encounter with the police on September 29, 2002, while another accused– Jihad Committee Founder Palani Baba– was hacked to death by suspected RSS sympathisers on January 28, 1997. The Supreme Court later acquitted several of them in December 2010 due to lack of independent evidence
RSS karyakarthas undeterred by the blasts, continue to engage themselves in their selfless service to the Bharat Mata. They work saying “ Terrorist forces can bomb and kill some of us But they can never kill the Hindu consciousness ingrained in us. Till the last Hindu exists in this world, the Hindu consciousness will exist, and thereby the Bharat will also exist.
Barring a few dailies and magazines, many of them in the media did not have a word to condemn this dastardly attack. On the contrary, some of them went to make insensitive, insinuating remarks suggesting that bombs were stacked in that premises and they were victims of their own doing. ( Note the eerie pattern : some years later they went on to accuse 58 karsevaks returning from Ayodhya for setting fire to their own rail compartment in Sabarmati Express at Godhra!). Yet another set of magazines, covertly legitimized the act saying it as the backlash of the Muslim community ‘offended’ by the demolition of the controversial structure in Ayodhya.
Starting from the 1984 murderous attack on Rama. Gopalanji, Tamil Hindus have lost several precious lives (not less than 150) of Desh – Dharma bhakts. The perpetrators have not been brought to book in most cases. Take the 1993 blast case itself. Charge sheet was filed in 1994, case was taken up by CBI which examined more than 200 witnesses, is yet to get hold of the main accused. One of the accused, Ibrahim Ali was neutralised near Bangalore while trying to escape. The agency was entrusted with the probe in 1993 and it filed a charge sheet against 18 persons under the stringent provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Explosive Substances Act and Terrorist and Destructive Activities Act (TADA).
After the trial in 2007, the special court acquitted four persons, including SA Basha, founder of the banned Al Umma citing lack of evidence. The CBI has announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for providing credible information about an absconder Mushtaq Ahmed, one of the main accused.
