There has been a sharp increase in attacks on leaders and functionaries of the Bharatiya Janata Party and other Hindu organisations and the State government should not view them as local issues, said Union Minister of State for Shipping Pon. Radhakrishnan.
Talking to press persons after inspecting the damaged shutters of the party office here on Monday, he said leaders of Hindu organisations and the BJP, especially in Dindigul district, had been victims of terrorist attacks since 1989. Nagaraj of Chinnalapatti, and Selvaraj and Manickam of Dindigul fell victims to terrorist activities. Recently a Hindu Munnani functionary and the district BJP office were attacked. Had the police taken stern action earlier, such incidents could have been prevented, he added.
“The police should realise that these issues were not between communities, two religions or two movements; but between the State and terrorists groups. It is a challenge against national security, the police and the State. Further delay in taking action against them would worsen the situation. Background of the attackers and their link with foreign forces, if any, should be traced,” he stressed.
“Terrorists have been emboldened after Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Shariff’s speech,” he added.
