Layered brutality

Kerala blasts are a matter of concern for the entire nation, and the government should handle it in a sensitive way, refraining from a blame game. Every necessary step should be taken to prevent such incidents from occurring in any other part of the country, as these blasts are a blot on the model state of communal harmony.

The explosion occurred during a prayer meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses — a Christian sect — in Kochi, Kerala, resulting in the loss of three lives. The immediate launch of a vicious campaign against a community points to the communal tinderbox that the southern state has perched itself on, and this should not be taken lightly. One person has surrendered to the police, claiming to be a former member of the sect. According to his version, he committed the gruesome act out of desperation because his attempts to change the course of the sect, which he alleges commits anti-national acts, had failed. It is up to the police to thoroughly investigate the case and verify the details. Questions remain as to whether it was a solitary act or if he had received support in his mission. The truth must come out promptly to prevent further such acts.

The Central Government should engage with the Kerala Government, presenting all available facts, and if necessary, involve the NIA in a comprehensive investigation. These explosions serve as a warning to other states as well, as there may be attempts to disrupt interfaith peace using subversive methods. People must remain vigilant to avoid falling into these traps. Simultaneously, every effort should be directed towards exposing the sinister networks responsible for these acts. Local sympathisers should be held accountable alongside the main suspects. India is a secular country where multiple religious communities have coexisted harmoniously for centuries. There is no justification for disturbing this harmony, and any such attempts must be met with a firm response. The responsibility to maintain this brotherhood primarily rests with the state governments. Kerala should reflect on its social fabric after the blasts at the Jehovah’s Witnesses Convention. Dominic Martin, an expat Malayali and a disgruntled member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, allegedly used expertise acquired from the internet to build an IED and trigger an explosion because the Christian radical sect had ignored his criticism.

In all likelihood, these three blasts are rooted in sectoral groupism, a problem that has often dogged narrow-minded religious radicalism. In other words, the three blasts appear to have been designed more to convey a threatening message to the larger society than to engage in wanton killing. These incidents give a clear impression that they were likely planned with the intent to spread a 'fear-psychosis' in the name of religious factionalism.

At this point in time, it is impossible to ascertain if the bomb-planter truly belongs to the Jehovah's Witnesses sect. He may have attempted to mislead the police to conceal the true identity of the masters he worked for.

It is, of course, obvious that the attacker had been waiting for an opportunity to carry out not one but three bomb blasts. In other words, such operations cannot be executed by a single individual. There is clear support from a well-coordinated team with sinister intentions to harm innocent individuals at a religious gathering. These nefarious blasts must have been the result of detailed planning over weeks or even months. When the time came for execution, the planners and planters must have assumed their respective positions well in advance, at least a week prior. It is probable that a local organisation provided assistance for people to move around in the town or to remain hidden. On the surface, Jehovah’s Witnesses is not an extremist organisation. While it may have held strong religious views, that does not necessarily mean it was a terrorist organisation. However, there may be reasons to suspect that these blasts could be connected to the upcoming legislative elections in five states in the next couple of weeks and the Lok Sabha elections a few months down the line. Such blasts have become rare in India in the past few years, thanks to the firm steps by the Central government. Yet, some elements may still raise their ugly heads and perpetuate such violence to extract political mileage. This angle also needs to be examined in depth.

It is for Kerala's society to ponder over the thought process of at least a section of its members who harbour distorted notions of nationalism and the violent means of its defence. Such thinking should be addressed, as it could otherwise vitiate the state's environment. Differences of opinion are inherent in a thriving society, and democracy offers mechanisms to address them. Those who promote nationalist ideas must also reconsider if their versions have the potential to turn normal individuals into unrepentant perpetrators of violence. If this is the reality, it's a matter that deserves serious contemplation.

The more pressing issue facing the state, which hosts followers of the three prominent communities — Hindu, Muslim, and Christian — is the instant traction that hate messages gain there. Shortly after the news of the blast emerged with sketchy details, and with no clues reported about the culprit, a campaign blaming the Muslim community erupted. Social media was flooded with posts that spewed venom and further aggravated the situation. This charade ended only when the police announced the surrender of the suspect and his confessional video on Facebook went viral. It was only last week that an altercation in a bus in northern Kerala was given a communal colour and spread around.

An all-party meeting that the state government called unanimously resolved to "resist with all might the attempts to sow poisonous seeds of mistrust, hatred, and intolerance" and, at all costs, protect the state's unique social milieu of peace, brotherhood, and harmony. The aim is to "ensure that Kerala moves forward single-mindedly, overcoming such isolated attempts to create disharmony."

It is imperative that all political parties come together in one voice against attempts to vitiate social life in the state. It is also important that those who orchestrate communal campaigns are held accountable before the law. Now is the time for the people of the state, the political parties, and the government to unite and defeat divisive forces so that the state remains what it is, "God’s Own Country.”

Views expressed are personal