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The Kerala government has virtually ignored a letter from the Union ministry of home affairs, warning it about the 'non-policing in Malappuram district' and in Thiruvananthapuram's Bheemapalli, bracketed as breeding grounds of Islamic fundamentalism in the state.
Recent events, including the chopping off of the palm of a professor in the state, have proved the contents of the letter right.
A letter by PK Mishra, director, (IS,11) in the ministry of home affairs vide MHA file no 1-11011/19/2009-IV dated 27-02-2009, addressed to the director general of police with a copy to the state home secretary, clearly says in an internal security review meeting held at Kollam on February 9, 2009, it was pointed out that there is virtually 'no policing in Malappuram district'. The meeting was held in the presence of the Union home minister.
The letter -- a copy of which is with rediff.com -- says in Bheemapally, known for smuggled international goods, the police dares not to venture out. According to many media reports, Bheemapally is a breeding ground for fundamentalism.
The letter also points out that the meeting referred to the growth of the Popular Front, which was formed by the merger of the National Development Front of Kerala , Karnataka Forum for Dignity and the Manitha Neethi Parasarai of Tamil Nadu. The missive indicates that the new organisation, which is believed to be behind the attack on the professor, is striving to take the political space occupied by the Indian Union Muslim League in Kerala politics.
The letter also warned of an organisation named Noorisha Thareekath, a religious outfit infiltrated by Left-wing extremists. Though the organisation is headquartered in Hyderabad, the meeting asked Intelligence agencies to gather more information about its activities.
The letter says while Students Islamic Movement of India activists are quite active in the state, they are not involved in any overt terror activity. However, the missive urged the state police to 'closely watch the former SIMI activists'.
The recent raids on the Popular Front office in Kannur have unearthed country-made bombs, swords, knives and provocative antinational literature. Recent events clearly show how Kerala's Communist Party of India-Marxist-led Left Democratic Front government sat on the letter, virtually allowing the outfit's growth.
A high-ranking retired police officer told rediff.com, "The fund sources of this organisation has to be clearly monitored as during the middle of 2005 this organisation started attracting youngsters with the lure for money rather than anything else."