Tamil Nadu 'incubation ground' of terror activities, claims BJP leader H Raja

Coimbatore: After Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, another BJP leader has dubbed Tamil Nadu as the 'incubation ground' of the terror activities taking place in Kerala and Karnataka.

BJP leader H Raja said that Tamil Nadu is the germination ground for sending people to Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

"For terrorist activities in Karnataka and Kerala, Tamil Nadu is the cradle. People may not be indulged in terrorist activities here, but it is the incubation ground for the terrorist activities in Karnataka and Kerala," Raja said.

"Even for sending people to ISIS through Kerala, the germination ground in Tamil Nadu," H Raja added.

Raja was a member of the legislative assembly representing the Karaikudi constituency in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from 2001 to 2006. 

Raja made these critical remarks days after Pon Radhakrishnan claimed that Tamil Nadu no longer remained a peaceful state, but was fast turning out to be a "training centre" for extremists.

Addressing a meeting organised by various Hindu outfits and the BJP to pay homage to those killed in the serial bomb blasts here on February 14, 1998, he alleged that Tamil Nadu is "becoming a camp and training centre" for such forces.

"Tamil Nadu is no longer the peaceful state ("amaidhi poonga")... Naxalites, Maoists, Tamil extremists and Islamic terrorists have joined hands against the administration, which was evident during the Jallikkattu agitation last year," the Union Minister of State for Finance and Shipping alleged.

Stating that these forces were engaged in a long-term planning for the next 10-20 years, Radhakrishnan said it was not known whether this had been brought to the notice of the government and the police department.

The massive agitation in support of Jallikattu at Marina Beach in Chennai and elsewhere in the state turned violent on January 23 last year, when the agitators continued to protest despite the promulgation of an ordinance to allow the bull-taming sport.

The Minister accused the state government of not allowing him to pay homage to those killed in the serial blasts 20 years ago - that claimed 52 lives - during an election rally that was to be addressed by BJP veteran LK Advani.

He also said the government did not allow the construction of a pillar in memory of those killed in the blasts.

(With Agency inputs)