1. THENKASI TOWN UNDER THE STRANGLEHOLD OF
ISLAMIC TERRORISTS
Pudhuvai Saravanan
quot;80% of the population is Hindu, while 80% of all trading
is in the hands of Muslims in Thenkasi.quot;
I board at the new bus terminus On the 14th of August, three
in Thirunelveli. After finding a seat in members of one family in Thenkasi
a bus to Thenkasi, I ask for two tickets were violently hacked to death. That
to Thenkasi, the bus conductor stares the people of Thenkasi are yet to
at us steadily for a minute. The bus is recover from this horror, is evident
full, yet a deathly quiet hovers in the even at the start of our bus trip from
bus. The bus starts, picks up speed, Thirunelveli to Thenkasi. On arrival at
on both sides of the road our eyes Thenkasi, as we walk a few yards into
feast upon lush, green fields. Yet, one the town from the bus stop, we pass
just finds fear in the eyes of the bus the ancient Kulasekara Nathar Temple
passengers. A cool breeze from the on the road.
fabled Podhigai hills wafts through the
bus comforting us, and yet all we can Thenkasi, a small town,
feel is a grim wretchedness. population: 75,000, functions as a very
busy hub. On a normal day thousands
of people pass through the town from
the neighboring villages. But now it
looks empty like a small village, with
very few people on the streets. All
shops are open but no shoppers to be
seen, and no business takes place; the
bazaar looks deserted. All around
town one sees shiny large ads for Haji
Mustafa's textile and jewelry shops.
Even on the mounds and public
announcement posters of the traffic
police, Haji Mustafa's ads are more
prominent. Hindus of Thenkasi
accuse the owner of Haji Mustafa
shops of financing Muslim Terrorists.
But the police are thick with the
owners of Haji Mustafa shops. Haji
Mustafa textile shop has heavy police
protection now.
Page 1 of 16

2. Thenkasi Municipality has 35
wards. In 8 of these wards Muslims
V.T.S. Rahman Batcha, a
are the sole residents. Muslims are
prominent industrialist and business
well distributed even in other wards.
owner in town, who is accused as the
In the town, Muslims are about 20% of
mastermind behind the murders of
the population but 80% of the town's
Kumar Pandian and his brothers, is
business is in their hands. In grocery
said to be absconding according to
stores, textiles, medical, electrical,
the police. His house and shops are
electronics shops, hotels, and
under full police protection. Police
vegetable shops, everywhere Muslims
say that they are on the look out for
dominate. Most of the Hindus are
him. But auto drivers and some
either day laborers or wrap beedis for
people in town told us that Rahman
living. We find women labourers
Batcha is seen going for a walk
wrapping beedis all around the Town
everyday.
of Thenkasi. Even in agriculture
Hindus are few in number.
We visited the site where
Muslims are trying to build a prayer
There are about 15,000 to 20,000
centre. It is about 100 meters away on
Muslims in town. There are more than
a street that is directly opposite Kasi
50 Islamic institutions such as Arabic
Viswanathar temple. On the disputed
school, madrassa, prayer centres,
site, there is a hotel by name Ananda
mosque, and dharga. Whichever
Bhavan. It is owned by a Muslim. We
direction one turns there will be a
inquired in the street about it. 'During
madrassa or a mosque or an Arabic
the Karthikai Deepam festival there
school. The very structure of the town
used to be a bonfire in this site.
shows that it is an ancient town. 15
Before Muslims tried to build the
days after the horrible murders of the
prayer centre, there was a government
14th August, all streets in the town
run primary school here. Later there
have police on them. Wherever
was an Ice factory, after which a public
Muslims reside exclusively the police
toilet came about, say the people on
are on guard in full strength.
the street. The people in Thenkasi say
that since Muslims have money power
and political influence, they dominate
everything.
Page 2 of 16

3. King Parakrama Pandian built the murders (August 14th) police
the famous Kasi Viswanathar temple in permitted the TMMK ambulances to
Thenkasi. All the shops opposite the operate freely. A common view found
temple are owned by Muslims. even among ordinary people like
Muslims have tried many times to women who wrap Beedis is that
encroach upon a mantap opposite the whoever is posted as a Police official
temple that was built for worshippers' in Thenkasi, they favor the Muslims,
resting. They have not given up on which is why the present situation has
that and are still trying, say some old arisen. Senthil, brother of Kumar
men. Pandian, who was hacked to death by
Muslims, was struggling for life when
Auto drivers tell us that the TMMK ambulance picked him up and
Muslim writ runs in the town. We took him along for a few meters. The
inquired on what grounds they say minute they realized who it was, they
this. quot;V.T.S. Rahman is funding the threw the body down on the street and
terrorists, everybody knows this. But drove away. Many members of the
the R.T.O office is on a site owned by public saw this incident.
him. In the evening, youths from many
organizations like TMMK (Tamil Nadu After 14th august, there was a
Muslim Munnetrak Kazhagam), Tawhid peace meeting. The Meeting was held
Jamaat, Najjaat, MNP (Manitha to discuss the resolution to the
Needhip Paasarai -a muslim front dispute arising out of encroachment
organization ostensibly standing for and prayer centre construction
social justice and human rights) and attempted by Muslims on the temple
Muslim Auto drivers assemble in the land which led to the murders of
R.T.O office. That is where many Hindus. But at the end of the meeting
things are plotted' they say. a Muslim gentleman got up and said
sarcastically, 'You are all assembled
TMMK, Tawhid Jamaat, Najjat here. If we all work together, we can
and MNP, all religious fundamentalist finish building the prayer centre (Palli
organizations, each of them has their vasal in Tamil)'. That he said this in
own auto stands. In these stands the presence of high police officials
Hindu auto drivers can't park their shocked the assembled Hindus. But
vehicles, whereas Muslim auto drivers the police officials looked on with no
routinely park their vehicles in auto reaction whatever.
stands in Hindu areas. In Thenkasi,
Muslims do not board Hindu owned D.S.P of Thenkasi, Mr.
autos, they check first to see if the Mayilvahanan, has banned customary
auto is Muslim owned. Hindus don't events like dances, songs, puppetry,
have any such discriminating view, Oyilattam in all the temple festivals in
they travel in any and all autos. and areas around Thenkasi. But all
Muslim festivals are being permitted
TMMK runs an Ambulance freely. That is a claim of made openly
service in Thenkasi. Even ordinary by the public in Thenkasi. In sum,
folks say that these ambulances since the police and the state in Tamil
smuggle arms. But even on the day of Nadu are acting blatantly in favor of
Page 3 of 16

4. Muslims, the Hindus in Thenkasi are but the Hindus of Thenkasi are all
feeling like orphans adrift. Kutralam incensed due to the Muslim extremist
hills may be providing a cool climate activities that go unchecked in the
in town, the Podhigai breeze may be area.
dancing through the town of Thenkasi,
Demands of Thenkasi Hindus!
• Institute a C.B.I inquiry on Kumar Pandian's murder
• Prohibit the building of Islamic prayer centre on the Temple land
• Monitor Muslim terrorist organizations in Thenkasi and ban them
• Police should stop charging innocent Hindu youth with imaginary
offenses. Release all Hindu youths who were taken into custody after
August 14th.
• Prohibit the function to be organized on December 6th
• Government should offer jobs to the widows of Kumara Pandian and
his brothers who were murdered by Muslim terrorists. All educational
expenses of the children of these killed youth should be borne by the
State which caused the deaths by neglecting its duty to the people.
Page 4 of 16

5. Religious convert becomes a murderer
Pudhuvai Saravanan
that my son converted to Islam.',
Abdullah is one of the Muslim terrorists agonizes Karuppaiah Pillai.
who killed Kumar Pandian. He was
recently converted from Hinduism into His daughter weeps inconsolably as she
Islam. Neduvayal Achanputhur is a small talks. quot;My brother was a good man earlier.
town, 8 kilometers from Thenkasi, and it is After he started interacting with Muslims
here Karuppaia Pillai, his father lives. his behavior changed. Muslims converted
Abdullah was formerly Murugesan, one of him and have now made him a murderer'.
the four sons of the couple Karuppaia 'It is his friendship with Muslims that has
Pillai and Maariammal. destroyed us' asserts Karuppaia Pillai. He
is in poor health now. He has trouble in
Muslims are in considerable numbers in getting up or standing.
Achanputhur. There is a big mosque in
this town. For the first time the town Religious conversion can so easily
Panchayat has a Muslim president, M. destroy a family and a community. This
Ayub. We met Karuppaia Pillai in his family's agonies are a clear example of
house at Achanputhur. He runs a small such destructive results. Karuppaia Pillai
grocery shop. It is a family in humble declined to be photographed. But we took
conditions. When we visit them, some pictures of the town, as can be seen
Karuppaia Pillai’s married daughter is on this page.
home. Murugesan got converted just four
years ago. Those intellectuals who dismiss religious
conversion as a problem will do better to
'When I heard that my son converted to look at such incidents again and judge the
Islam, I went to Kutralam, shaved my head ill-effects. This is a lesson in impending
and did all the last rites one performs for disaster all across the country in the
dead people. When people ask me about coming decades as Islamists pursue their
my son, I tell them that he died. My wife deadly agenda of destruction of Hindu
Maariammal, who was in good health, fell society by resorting to conversions.
ill suddenly and died, soon after she heard
Page 5 of 16

6. KUMARA PANDIAN’S FAMILY
Gomathi (26), wife of Senthil, the third
brother killed. Then we see their
children Hariharan (13), Bhuvaneswari
(11), Thangarani (9), Swarnabala (9),
Azagu Dwaraka (4), Prabhakaran (1
3/4), Swathika (2 1/2) and Muthuram (8
months).
A pall of deathly quiet hangs
over Thenkasi, as we visit Kumara
Pandian’s family that lost four of its
young men to Islamic terrorism, to find The fear and the grief on their
out how they are coping with their faces brought tears to our eyes. Their
tragic losses. His family lives in grief is even more intense now, since
Thenkasi Malyan Street. There is Kumara Pandian's brother Sakthi
police security on the street corner Pandian is in the custody of the Police.
and in front of the Subramanya swami The family has lost faith in the judicial
temple that is nearby. The entire street system, since Sakthi Pandian had
is eerily silent. been under police guard twenty four
hours a day for a while now, yet he
As we walk on the street, scared was arrested in a murder case.
faces pop up in several houses along
the street. We feel a sadness welling in Ravi Pandian, another surviving
our hearts as we get into Kumara brother of Kumara Pandian, spoke
Pandian’s house. We meet his brother with us. When we raise a point, quot;the
Ravi Pandian, mother Azagammal, and police say that your brothers attacked
wife Jeyanthi (age 37). We meet firstquot;, he replies, quot;In all of history you
Malathi (35) wife of Sekar, another won’t find any instance where the
brother killed; Kokila (24) wife of Hindus attacked first. It is always the
Suresh, a second brother killed, and Muslims who begin attacks. That is
Page 6 of 16

7. what happened on this August 14th they are conducting a false
massacre too.quot; His eyes reflect an propaganda, labeling this conflict as a
overwhelming sadness at the loss of feud between two families. Kumara
four brothers to a gruesome massacre. Pandian was killed specifically for two
reasons. First, he opposed building
the mosque on temple land; Second,
he was working on buying an
ambulance on behalf of the Hindu
Munnani (Hindu Front). After he was
killed, my other brother Sakthi Pandian
took over the leadership of Thenkasi
town's Hindu Munnani. That is the
reason for these recent massacres.
This is not a family feud. These are
murders entirely for religious
reasons.quot; said Ravi Pandian, trying
hard to control his sobs as he spoke.
quot;You have lost four of your brothers
due to this problem. What can be the
solution in your opinion?quot; We ask. He
replies, quot;Building a Mosque on the
temple land should be banned. In that
place, currently Muslims are
performing namaz. That should be
stopped. 100 meters away from this
site under dispute, V. T. S. Rahman
Batcha has his own land. Why don’t
they build a mosque there?quot;
The murders of Kumara Pandian
and his brothers have made their 8
children fatherless children. Of these,
five are girls. They study in
government run schools. When
Kumara Pandian was killed on 17th
December, 2006, his wife Jeyanthi was
near term pregnant. Now she has an
infant son, Muthuram, who is 8 months
old.
quot;After this massacre, the police Kumara Pandian, Suresh, Sekar
are trying to prevent any awareness of and Senthil were the pillars of the
the problem arise among Hindus or family. Now that all the four are killed,
Thevar solidarity arise around this. So
Page 7 of 16

8. the family is utterly devastated. There
are four women with no source of
support, all widowed at the same time
living under one roof, and 8 children
who all lost their fathers in one fell
swoop. How does such evil happen?
How do we find ways to console
them? In what language can we find
words to bring any solace to them?
Page 8 of 16

9. “MUSLIMS DO NOT LOVE THIS LAND”
An interview with Sorna Thevar
Pudhuvai Saravanan, Rajendran
What is the main reason for
Sorna Thevar is a father who lost four these horrible murders?
of his sons to Islamic terrorists. We
met him at his home in Thenkasi for My son (Kumara Pandian) was
‘Vijayabaharatham’. He had an eye town leader for Hindu Munnani. He had
operation few days before the been opposing the building of mosque
massacre of his sons. Weeping over on a plot of land that belongs to Kasi
his three sons’ hacked bodies Viswanathar temple. On December 6th,
worsened his eyes, and he had to get Muslims posted a big banner near the
another surgery done on his eyes. He temple and were causing a lot of
had just returned from the Hospital. trouble. My son opposed this as well.
What follows here is from our meeting. Enraged Muslims hacked my son
Kumara Pandian to death on 17-12-
(14-08-
What happened that day (14-08- 2006.
2007)?
Abdulla and Hanifa, who were
On 14-08-07, my son Senthil was arrested for killing my son, were
traveling in a car, when a group of released on bail recently. A few
Islamic murderers waylaid the car and months after Kumara Pandian was
attacked him with weapons. When killed, Tamilnadu Muslim Munnetrak
news reached us, my other sons Kazhagam's Thirunelveli district leader
Suresh and Sekar rushed there to save Maitheen Seit Khan was killed by some
their younger brother. Islamic unidentified people. Police said it was
terrorists, who were more than ten in due to intra Muslim rivalry. But after
number, hacked all my three my sons few days, they arrested my younger
to death and escaped. son Senthil for that. Senthil recently
got the bail. Abdullah and Hanifa who
were arrested for Kumara Pandian
Page 9 of 16

10. murder case and Senthil who was Pandian were came out on bail,
arrested in Maitheen Seit Khan Murder Muslims held Briyani feasts for them.
case were ordered to sign in everyday To provoke and anger the Hindus,
at Thenkasi women's police station. Muslims here celebrated terrorists
Abdulla and Hanifa always come to coming out on bail like a festival.
Police station with weapons. Police
detected the weapons, but let them off Don’t the newspapers say
with no action taken. My sons were attacked
that your sons attacked first?
killed at this juncture.
On the side of Muslims 3 people
Police say that the family have lost the life and seven people are
feud is behind this massacre? wounded. On the side of the Hindus,
only my three sons were murdered. If
That is a blatant lie. There is no my sons have planned this, would they
family feud between our family and go alone? Muslims have planned this
Muslims. I have been in congress attack. How is it possible for 10 people
party from my childhood. I had been to assemble with lot of arms and
the town leader of the Congress party. weapons at the same time on the same
Even now, I hold the post of vice day, without pre-planning? It is a clear
president in Thirunelveli west district planned attempt to target and destroy
congress committee. I have many my family members.
Muslim friends due to this. My sons
were killed since they opposed
building a mosque on the temple land.
This is the truth.
Kumara Pandian opposed
building a mosque on the temple
land. Did your other sons oppose
that as well?
Kumara Pandian was leader of
the town’s Hindu Munnani. After he
was killed, my other son Sakthi What is the reason to target your
Pandian became the leader of town family?
Hindu Munnani. This massacre is done
by those Muslims who are enraged by My son Kumar Pandian had
this. Those Muslims who killed opposed the building a mosque on the
Kumara Pandian have vowed in front temple land. After he was killed, my
of police high officials, ‘we will come other son Sakthi Pandian took up the
out on bail and kill more people.” This responsibility as the leader of Hindu
was witnessed by many people among Munnani. These are the main two
the public. So, this massacre reasons for this massacre. It is not the
happened for religious reasons. When first time that Thenkasi Muslims have
the terrorists who killed Kumara resorted to violence and killing. From
Page 10 of 16

11. 1925 onwards, Muslims are causing Using their money power, the got the
problems. I stopped the Moharrum resolution passed in the Township.
festival that was used to target and Collector Dhanavel also approved the
insult Hindus. (Sorna Thevar had listed building of mosque there. Immediately,
the killings and riots that were done by the Muslims became ready to start
Muslims since 1925 in Thenkasi. That building the mosque. Bricks, sand and
is to be published as a separate piece) other stuff started coming there. It is at
that time, my son Kumara Pandian
Did the mosque exist in the gathered the Hindus in the town and
controversial land already? started Satyagraha and fasting to stop
the building of the mosque.
Some newspapers have
As the opposition grew, the
reported that the mosque exists
mosque building stopped. This
already and the controversy is due to
happened during the DMK rule. Then
the expansion of the mosque. This is
ADMK came to power. Collector was
not true. The land on which Muslims
changed. The new Collector
are trying to build the mosque belongs
temporarily banned the building of
to Kasi Viswanathar Temple. There are
mosque as there is lot of opposition to
enough proofs regarding this. I know
that. For few years, the Muslims kept
that a government school operated
their peace. When DMK came to power
from that place. Those who studied in
in 2006, the Muslims started building
that school and who taught in that
the mosque again. Again my son
school are still around.
opposed this. Hence they hacked my
After the school got its own
son to death. Whenever DMK is in
building, it shifted. Then a Muslim took
power, Muslims start the trouble and
a lease of that land to run an ice
achieve whatever they want.
factory. Since then Muslims have used
that place as a urinal. For many years,
that place was used as a urinal for Your son Sakthi Pandian
Muslims of Thenkasi bazaar. This is arrested...
has been arrested...
known to everyone here. Suddenly one
day, they put up a board that said After Kumara Pandian was
quot;Thenkasi bazaar mosquequot; and started killed, Sakthi Pandian took over the
doing namaaz in the same place where leadership of Hindu Munnani with
they had a urinal for all these years. courage. Sakthi Pandian already has
police protection. There is a policeman
No one opposed? with him 24 hours. Even then, they
arrested him in this case. When we
It is true that the Hindus turned questioned this action, the police say
a blind eye to this. Encouraged by this, we have to arrest him since the
Muslims approached the Thirunelveli Muslims have filed a complaint against
district collector then, one Mr. him.
Dhanavel, and asked for permission to
start a mosque there. He promised A week before Kumara Pandian
approval if the Thenkasi Township was killed, Thenkasi Industrialist V T S
passed a resolution approving this. Rahman Batch's brother had come to
Page 11 of 16

12. Kumara Pandian's house. He had vegetables. While he was working for
enticed him, quot;Don’t oppose building a 800 rupees per month salary, he built a
mosque. We will give you 12 Lakhs if huge bungalow and invited his
you drop your opposition. After the employer for the house warming party.
mosque is built, we would give you a Immediately looking at the huge
shop in that building that will remain bungalow of VTS Rahman Batcha, his
rent free for your entire lifequot;. My son boss terminated his employment. Then
Kumara Pandian’s firm reply was, Rahman Batcha started his own
quot;Suppose I withdraw my objection to grocery shop.
the mosque, after taking your money.
You could finish the mosque. But, It is said that Rahman Batcha
some day Hindus would demolish that who is running an ordinary grocery
mosque, may be even after 100 years. shop owns several crores worth
Just like Babar’s building that was property. He has been accused of
built over the Ram Temple was involved in Hawala. VTS Rahman
destroyed after hundreds of years, Batcha's money is funneled into
Thenkasi Mosque too would be Islamic terrorist activities. So we
demolished. If that happens, Thenkasi complained to police asking for his
would witness huge riots. If Thenkasi arrest. He and his brother have
is to remain peaceful, I can’t permit the repeatedly threatened Kumara Pandian
mosque to be built herequot;. Within a many times. So, it is impossible that
month after this, my son Kumara he is not related to the murder of my
Pandian was killed. son. Even though a case has been
filed against Rahman Batcha, police
That is why we filed a complaint have not arrested him.
against V T S Rahman Batcha, as we
know that these murders can’t have There was a report that you
taken place without his knowledge. staged a demonstration against
The same police which did not act on
our complaints against V T S Rahman the police.
Batcha, jumped up with alacrity and
arrested my son Sakthi Pandian After my three sons were killed,
immediately, when Muslims filed a police high officials came to talk to
complaint against my son. This clearly me. We refused to take the bodies of
shows the police acting at the behest my three sons. Then we took the
of the Muslims. bodies directly from the hospital to the
cremation ground only for maintaining
peace in Thenkasi. We did not want to
Do you say that VTS
be a cause for riots in Thenkasi. I
Rahman batcha is connected to could have brought the bodies which
the people who killed your son? were dumped in sacks to Thenkasi
town. Had I done that, Thenkasi would
20 years back, this VTS Rahman have burned. For the sake of peace,
Batcha was working for Gani & Co we cooperated with the police.
grocery shop in Thenkasi, for 800
rupees salary per month. His father But soon after the cremation
had a small shop selling fruits and was finished, police had started
Page 12 of 16

13. showing their true colors. They started allow building a Ganapathi temple
to arrest innocent Hindus on murder directly in front of a mosque or
cases. Police, who came to Malyan madrassa?
Street where our house is situated,
started harassing the women and girls. You claim to have been a leader of
To stop these atrocities, along with Thenkasi Congress party. Even
about 50 women, we went to today you are the vice president of
Subramanyar Temple in our street and
Thirunelveli
the Thirunelveli (west district)
staged a protest against police
congress party. Did any congress
atrocities. Night time raids by police
stopped only after this protest. leaders console you as you have lost
four of your sons?
An unimaginable horror has
No. For the Congress party,
happened. What is the solution
Muslim votes are more important.
for this? Maideen Khan who is a minister in the
DMK government now, had come to
I am a Gandhian. I suffered Thenkasi to meet and console the
beatings for freedom at the age of 6. I Muslims who were injured. But he did
am getting beaten even today for that. not come to meet us. Maideen khan
We want peace. But I don't see an end had met in Palayamkottai jail the
to these massacres. Muslims do not murderers of my sons under the
love this land. If they do love this land, pretext of inspecting the Jail. It is said
would they kill so many people for a that Maideen Khan had helped
mosque? surreptitiously those Muslims who
were affected by these incidents.
If mosque is an issue, would not
a solution be arrived, if the What is the state of your mind
Hindus give up the opposition? now?
We are scared. We are very
The place where the Muslims afraid that they will kill the remaining
want to build the mosque belongs to family members.
the centuries old Kasi Viswanathar
Temple. That place is directly in front
of the Ambaal sannathi. It is just 100
meters from there. In this place, the
Hindus build a bonfire. When the
Ambal chariot comes around, it is at
this place, Ambal would grace the
population. If the mosque is opened
there, nothing would be allowed there.
Muslims would ask Hindus to stop the
celebratory music and playing drums
in front of the mosque. If the mosque
is built, the peace in Thenkasi would
have to be written off. Would they Interviewers: PudvaiSaravanan, Rajendran
Page 13 of 16

14. Tragedies from 1925
Pudhuvai Saravanan
• In 1925, during the British rule,
Muslims of the area petitioned the
district collector to grant them Patta
for the land in an area called
Vandipettai, which was all around the
Teppak kulam (Temple Pond) of Kasi
Viswanathar temple. The father of
Mr. Venkatramanan, an MLA of
Thenkasi during later years,
vehemently opposed this attempt to
grab the temple lands. The British
collector visited the place in person
News about the massacres in to check the truth of the matter.
Thenkasi has always been one sided Muslims had occupied the plot
reports so far. Asst. D.G.P overnight and were putting on a
Vijayakumar, D.I.G. Kannappan, S.P. show of cooking food in that plot.
Sridhar and other police personnel They approached the Collector and
are issuing statements to the effect pleaded, ‘We have lived here for
that the massacres were due to many years’ which were of course a
‘rivalry between two families’. Media bundle of lies. Venkatramanan’s
builds these statements up and father who was present protested
publicizes them. Truth is just the and argued, ‘These people occupied
opposite. All these have nothing to this plot just last night. Inspect their
do with family rivalry or quarrels. utensils. They are brand new and
Kumara Pandian, a leader of Hindu shiny. If these people are living here
Munnani in Thenkasi town, was for a long time won’t their utensils
struggling sincerely to raise the look like used utensils? They are
consciousness of Hindus in plotting to deceive you by occupying
Thenkasi, and that is why he was this plot en masse’. The Collector
hacked to death on 17-12-2006 at 10 saw through the game of Muslims
p.m. in the town. It is not for the first and refused to grant Patta to them.
time a Hindu representative has
sacrificed his life for the cause of • During 1952, Hindus of the
Hindus in this town. Since 1925 there area protested sharply against
have been planned attacks against permitting Mohurrum processions
Hindus in the area, and these being permitted to pass through the
massacres are just a continuum of Aluppu mandapam (a building where
these planned attacks. We present pilgrims and worshippers at the
below a compilation of such events. temple rest) that belonged to Kasi
Viswanathar Temple. One,
Kozhumbu Sankaran Pillai who
Page 14 of 16

15. protested this permission of a Mosque there. This plot of land
vehemently, had to run away from the belonged to the Municipality of
town in a hurry, because Muslims Thenkasi, where an earlier Chief
were out to kill him in their Minister, Kamaraj Nadar, had laid a
murderous rage. foundation stone for a water tank for
providing drinking water. So there
was meeting for compromise.
Muslims said if Hindus removed the
Vinayaka statue, they will not
construct a mosque. Authorities
agreed to this compromise. Muslims
won this round by staging this
drama, and the Vinayaka statue was
removed. But no water tank was built
in that plot till date. Now Muslims
claim that the Wakf board owns the
plot, and are trying to build a mosque
there.
• During 1980, Muslims staged a
• Muslims used to celebrate mass conversion at Meenakshipuram
Milad-e-Nabi in an area near the near Thenkasi, which shook the
temple Flagstaff which was placed nation and made it sit up and take
near a bridge over a canal (Vaaykkaal notice.
Palam). During 1972 they grabbed a
plot near the above mentioned • During 1982, Ramagopalan
Aluppu Mandapam, where the deity presided over a big meeting of Hindu
of Kasi Viswanathar temple used to Munnani in Thenkasi. Police filed
be displayed on festival days for the false cases against Hindus who
public view, and named it as participated in this meeting causing
‘Hameedia Thidal’ (Hameedia Maidan) them a lot of hassle over many years.
and celebrated Milad-e-Nabi there.
Hindus of the area decided to break • Till about 20 years ago,
this practice and land grab, and Muslims used to conduct an event in
installed a Vinayaka statue in this which they used to mock Hindus,
plot and started worshipping. during the Mohurrum festival times.
Muslims set fire to the thatched roof In 1986 when the Mohurrum
over the Vinayaka statue. There was procession came along the South
a big riot in town. A case was filed street, Muslims hurled chappals and
against Hindus for this. stones at Thyagi Ramanatha Iyer, and
the then Thenkasi M.L.A.
• In order to oppose the Hindus, Venkatramanan and attacked them.
Muslims claimed that a Maulvi was Sorna Thevar, father of Kumara
interned on a spot near the Flagstaff Pandian, was one person who stood
(of the temple) and raised a shed against such hooliganism of Muslims
there, in preparation for construction and fought against such anti-Hindu
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16. festivities. Mohurrum festivities were RSS Meeting, asking them not to
stopped after this incident. The sport Kumkum on their forehead
people of Thenkasi now believe that
it is in revenge for this stopping of • Some 30 years back, Thenkasi
Mohurrum that Kumara Pandian and Amman temple conducted Thavasi
his brothers were killed. festival. At that time, the Muslim
baloon vendors insulted the Hindu
• During 1987, Bharathi women using obscene words. This
Subramaniam, a leader of Hindu resulted in riots.
Munnani was stabbed on the day of
Bakrid. It was around 6 p.m. when he While Thenkasi's real history is like
was stabbed. Those who arranged this, the police are spreading the
this stabbing are big industrialists canard that this massacre is really a
today, and they went unpunished. result of a family feud. Since the
police are hiding the truth and acting
at the behest of the Islamic terrorists,
the Hindus are forced to live in fear.
This was published in Vijaya Bharatham
Tamil magazine 21-9-2007 .
Translated pages from 8 to 19.
• Muslims have been trying to
grab this plot of land where during
the Karthikai festivals the deity will
stay for a while for public viewing.
On 27-12-1990, even though a large
number (majority) of Town council
members opposed it, a resolution to
build a mosque in this plot of land
was declared passed. There was a
hunger strike against it, and cases
were filed against Hindus who
participated in the hunger strike. The
cases went on for many years.
• On 14-12-2001, Muslims
attacked the people returning from an
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