Vishwaroopam ban portends something far beyond “Cultural Terrorism”

Vishwaroopam is the most expensive movie ever made in India. Its produced by Raaj Kamal Films International; Chandra Haasan; and Kamal Haasan and Directed by Kamal Hassan. The film is being produced in three languages simultaneously: Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.

The film has been banned in Tamil Nadu by the State Government because of protests of the Islamic organizations. The release was stayed until January 28th, by the Madras High Court. In a rather weird judgment, the Madras High Court judge said he will watch the movie and decide its fate.

“I will watch the movie on January 26 along with the leaders who are objecting and pass orders on January 28. Till then, the release should be postponed,” Justice K Venkataraman said, passing interim orders on a petition from the versatile actor.

First of all, it is rather obscene that the Judiciary of the land will now be deciding the sensibilities of the movies. Second, how do we define what is “offensive”?

If you see the trailer of the movie, it becomes clear that it deals with the global war of terror, which is foundationally, a war against the Islamists – Sunni Wahabis. It is not a figment of imagination. It is a fact. And, also the fact is that whether it is the Al Qaeda or Lashkar-e-Taiba or Imam Bukhari or Zaid Hamid or Zakir Naik – the fundamentalists do invoke Quran and Hadith authoritatively to spread hatred and violence.

So, anyone who makes a movie on Terrorism today, will have to include their invocation of the religious symbols.

Game of Moderates-for-World-Islamists-for-real Al-Taqqiya – Deception at its Best

The Muslim organizations in Tamil Nadu – specifically the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) – have targeted the movie. These organizations have said two things:

the movie “targets Muslims and their beliefs”, and
the movie will affect the social-harmony and peace in the state

Let us decipher the message in these two assertions:

Targets Muslims and their Beliefs: If the movie is indeed depicting the “War on Terror” and the terrorism of the Islamists, and if “Terror is actually against Islam” as all the “mainstream” Muslims organization insist; then pray, how is the movie targeting the “Muslims and their beliefs”? Unless, these publicly well-meaning Muslims mainstream organizations are playing a diabolical game of Jehadi-for-real-and-Moderate-for-public-consumption?

Either Jehadi Terror and its use of Islamic Religious symbols/scriptures is against Islam (therefore, critical for moderate Muslims to back attempts to show its ugliness) OR Jehadi terror and its protagonists represent Islam and its fundamental message.

It is time that Moderates decide unequivocally and clearly.

Movie will affect social-harmony and peace in the state: Maybe I don’t get it, but how will depiction of Global “War on Terror” against the Islamists affect “Social Harmony” in Tamil Nadu. It is a fact. Everyone knows it. It has been there for over a decade now. What is new about it?

Unless…. of course, it is a direct threat. “If you don’t ban the movie, we will create violence”. One remembers a similar threat by Jinnah in 1946 when he announced the “Direct Action Day”, where he invoked Mohammad’s battle to inspire the Muslims to “take their future in their hands”.

We have seen this script being run many a times, haven’t we? It is time we deal with it head-on.

Growing Islamist Extremism in Tamil Nadu

Ever since the bomb blasts in Coimbatore in 1998, the consolidation of the Islamic forces has recently taken up speed. In September 2012, the US consulate was very severely attacked by Muslims because of the “Anti-Islam video”. A group of 2000 Muslims attacked the consulate in Anna Salai. The attackers had scaled the walls of the consulate and damaged the bulletproof glass cabin of the visa section, CCTV and sunshades of the US consulate building.

The organizer of the “protests” by Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK).

In October, Tamil star Vijay’s blockbuster Thuppakki again ran foul with the TMMK. To please the protests from the Muslims, not only were the dialogs removed from the movie, but the actor promised to depict a Muslim character in a later movie!

What is TMMK? It has largely been a “socio-political Muslim organization” for most part, until its leaders and members were arrested for the Coimbatore bomb blasts. It was brought to light that the genesis of TMMK lies in the banned organization SIMI. In fact it is a morphed form of SIMI and a “socio-political” front for Jehadi organization Al-Umma.

It is a known fact that the Students Islamic Movement of India, SIMI, was very active in many states across the country. After a ban was enforced on SIMI, the TN unit took the avatars of Al Umma & Jihad Committee. While the Coimbatore based Al Umma made its first major strike at the RSS HQs, Chennai, in November 1993 killing 11 Swayam Sevaks, the Jihad Committee disintegrated after the murder of its leader Palani Baba allegedly by Hindu youths. The TMMK (Tamilnadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam) was launched in 1995 with a political colour to be deliberately different from Al Umma, which was an obviously violent organization. The TMMK gave a political colour to Islamic fundamentalism and it was a brain child of Hyder Ali, who came out of Al Umma after a tiff with his friend Basha, President of Al Umma. Hyder Ali was alleged to be a former associate of Palani Baba of Jihad Committee and now he acts as the General Secretary of the party. It can be recalled that very recently he issued a public threat (Modi will not go back alive!) against the Gujarat Chief Minister when he visited Chennai recently to attend the Anniversary Meeting of the weekly magazine “Thuglak” run by Sri. Cho.Ramaswamy. (link)

TMMK has, earlier on its own, and then on from 2009 through its political front, the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi; has formed alliances with the ruling DMK and AIADMK. In 2011 assembly elections, MMK contested three seats in the assembly and won two.

SIMI is now a Political Entity

If you take off the facades and masks of organizational names, one thing becomes very clear. Jehadis are infiltrating the Political process to become a political force and control the political process itself.

So Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the new polity of India – where Jehadis who bombed several cities of India as SIMI “activists” are not gone with the banning of the organization; but they have morphed the organizational affiliations to become State MLAs.

Instead of being in jail, one of the Jehadis is your friendly neighborhood Politician. Now, he doesn’t need to bomb your locality or colony. He can simply threaten you – either do as I say, or YOU are killed or jailed.

Ban of Vishwaroopam is more than a ban on Art!

Ironically, in banning of Vishwaroopam (Universal Consciousness form of Krishna) – comes a hidden message. Of a far bleaker future than we are even articulating or understanding. And, that is of Islamist and Jehadi takeover of the polity in the state.

It is a harbinger. A pointer. From SIMI’s new and politically active cadres – that “We have arrived”. Because this ban was by the State Government – which was obviously under the political pressure of its allies.

The day is not far when Sharia will be the official law of Tamil Nadu.

Also see: FirstPost