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Monday, April 15, 2024

A tale of terror: BJP worker fakes bombing of own home

News Analysis |

A BJP worker was apprehended by Tamil Nadu Police on Friday evening after he faked a petrol bomb attack at his Chennai residence. The accused Paramanantham works as district secretary for BJP and is a resident of Ayanambakkam. On Thursday, he had complained to the police that unidentified persons had hurled petrol bomb at his residence when he and his family were sleeping.

Pakistan and the common Indian should be wary of the coming days as there is a strong possibility of many more such attacks taking place

He told the police that he heard the windows getting smashed and seconds later petrol bombs with flames were hurled into the house. According to him, he immediately woke his family and shifted them to safety. He told the police that fire had engulfed the furniture and few other objects.

Upon investigation, it was found that the fire originated from inside the house. The police who grew suspicious questioned Paramanantham. He later confessed that he had done it as he was involved in a temple land dispute.

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He said that he thought following the incident the locals would assume that his life was in danger and they would be considerate. He also thought that he can avail police protection under the pretext. However, much to the embarrassment of the Tamil Nadu BJP, the police foiled Paramanantham’s ploy.

In essence, it would not be far off to assert that India is being ruled by a terrorist group, which the RSS is often designated as by former Indian law enforcement officials

While isolated in itself the issue seems to be a mere local law and order situation. However, if connected to a link of historical events this incident ties into the much larger and deadly phenomenon known as Saffron terror or Hindutva terrorism. Saffron Terror is an analogy used to describe acts of terrorism motivated by Hindu nationalism or Hindutva.

Praveen Swami coined the term, in 2002, in a Frontline magazine article. The Indian government used the term the first time when former Home Minister of India P. Chidambaram urged Indians to beware of “Saffron terror” in August 2010 at a meeting of state police chiefs in New Delhi. Most of such acts are perpetrated by members or alleged members of Hindutva organizations as well as lone wolves.

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While acts of saffron terror revolve around bombings, target killings, rape, mob violence among others, the use of fake attacks or false flag attacks are also common among saffron terror groups. The term “False Flag Operations” means an operation conducted by one party or government and made to appear as though it were sponsored by another party or government.

The most famous of all Saffron terror false flag operations was the arrest of the Abhinav Bharat network which had staged massive bomb attacks across India initially blamed on Muslims

While the term has fallen into disrepute due to having become a staple word of Yellow journalists and Conspiracy Theorists, it has been a proven tool of power politics over the centuries. Proven False flag attacks include the 1931 Manchurian train line bombing leading to the Japanese invasion of Manchuria, the 1954 bombings of different diplomatic enclaves by Israel to snare the Arabs and the most recent being the bombing of Borussia Dortmund team bus by a German Russian but blamed on Muslim extremists.

Saffron terrorists are no strangers to false flag attacks. On 2 October 2016, two Shiv Sena workers were arrested for bombing their own headquarters in order to acquire security protection. The most famous of all Saffron terror false flag operations was the arrest of the Abhinav Bharat network which had staged massive bomb attacks across India initially blamed on Muslims. Upon disclosure of the existence of this outfit, the Indian government started using the term “Saffron Terror” for the first time.

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These attacks put a question mark over nearly all the claims of terrorism by Indian governments. Indeed, the current ruling party, the BJP, is a part of the much larger Hindutva extremist organization, the RSS.

The term “False Flag Operations” means an operation conducted by one party or government and made to appear as though it were sponsored by another party or government

On 23 Aug 2016, a BJP worker was killed in the Kannur district of Kerala by one of his own bombs and in this month, seven high-explosive steel bombs were recovered from the premises of a temple managed by the RSS in Kannur. In essence, it would not be far off to assert that India is being ruled by a terrorist group, which the RSS is often designated as by former Indian law enforcement officials.

For Pakistan this is a most problematic sign, it now faces a hostile larger eastern neighbor ruled by a violent group who often blames it for militant attacks within its territory. Several of these attacks such as the Samjhota express bombing, which claimed the lives of more than 65 Pakistani citizens, have been found to be perpetrated by Saffron terror groups.

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Saffron terror groups use false flag attacks as a means to direct public anger as well as to represent themselves as victims of a savage enemy. Pakistan and the common Indian should be wary of the coming days as there is a strong possibility of many more such attacks taking place.