Be it Yakub Memon, Afzal Guru, Burhan Wani or any other terrorist involved in killing countless innocent citizens of India, the fact that thousands of Muslims throng the streets to mourn their death has been a major cause for concern for India, especially in the context of abject radicalisation in such gatherings. While the earlier J&K LG administration had taken corrective measures to curb the menace of radicalisation and eulogy of terrorists, the alarming act was witnessed yet again, this time in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore.
Incidentally, on 18th December thousands of terror apologists gathered in Coimbatore to bid farewell to Coimbatore bomb blast mastermind, S. A. Basha. Basha was the founder of the banned Al Umma Islamist terror outfit and the convicted mastermind in the 1998 Coimbatore serial blasts that claimed more than 58 innocent lives and left more than 231 people seriously injured.
Amid chants of Allah-u-Akbar, thousands bid teary-eyed farewell and then go on to attend the funeral of the 1998 Coimbatore terror attack mastermind SA Basha who killed 58 and severely maimed 231 innocent men, women, and children.
You can’t do anything. pic.twitter.com/w3qjIco2sS
— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) December 18, 2024
Basha died at the age of 84 at PSG Hospitals while serving life imprisonment. His funeral attracted a large terror apologist crowd including Islamic and political leaders.
Strikingly, the 1998 blasts orchestrated by Basha were meant to target BJP leader L. K. Advani during his visit to Coimbatore, resulted in the deaths of 58 innocents. While Advani escaped unharmed, the tragedy rocked the city. Politicians Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) chief coordinator Seeman, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) deputy general secretary Vanni Arasu, and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi general secretary P. Abdul Samad also created a beeline at Basha’s funeral alongside Islamic leaders. The procession had heavy security arrangements, with 1,500 police personnel deployed.
The notoriety of Al-Ummah terrorist S.A Basha
S.A. Basha was the founder of the banned terror outfit Al-Ummah and the mastermind of the 1998 Coimbatore serial bomb blasts. Basha, a former timber merchant turned terrorist, played the role of being the main perpetrators behind one of India’s deadliest terrorist attacks. He was also backed by Pakistan’s ISI. Basha established Al-Ummah in 1992 following the demolition of the disputed structure some call as Babri Masjid, aiming to unite Muslim groups in southern India. The terror outfit was also responsible for the 1993 RSS office bombing in Chennai.
The 1998 Coimbatore blasts were planned to target BJP leader L.K. Advani during his visit to the city. On February 14, a series of explosions shook the city, with bombs hidden in vehicles, fruit carts, and other everyday objects.
Though Advani narrowly escaped, the blasts left a trail of destruction, killing dozens and causing property damage worth over ₹4.37 crore. The attacks were purportedly in retaliation for the deaths of 18 Muslims during the 1997 Coimbatore riots.
Investigations by a special CB-CID team identified Basha as the mastermind behind the blasts. The chargesheet revealed that he had procured 650 kg of gelignite to plot Advani’s assassination through a suicide squad. In 1999, 166 suspects were named in the chargesheet, of whom 158 were convicted. Basha, along with 43 others, received life sentences, and his conviction was later upheld by the Madras High Court.
The funeral of the deadly terrorists attracting thousands of civilians point out at nothing but a concerning number of terror apologists that reside in the country and extent of Islamic radicalisation. Apart from large crowds in funerals for terrorists, the country has also witnessed mercy petitions being written and signed for the terrorists by the biggest of the stalwarts. Whitewashing of terrorism too is something Indians are well aware of. These all together present a disturbing scenario to which the eyes must not turn blind to.