Crack down on secessionist forces, Madras High Court tells Centre Madras High Court in Chennai. File Madras High Court in Chennai. File | Photo Credit: V. Ganesan

NEWS STATES TAMIL NADU
TAMIL NADU
Crack down on secessionist forces, Madras High Court tells Centre
Madras High Court in Chennai. File
Madras High Court in Chennai. File | Photo Credit: V. Ganesan
Mohamed Imranullah S.
CHENNAI 19 SEPTEMBER 2020 22:12 IST
UPDATED: 19 SEPTEMBER 2020 23:07 IST

‘Don’t create impression of any language being neglected’
Impressing upon the need for the Centre to prevent youth from being misled by secessionist forces functioning on the grounds of race, region, religion and language across the country, the Madras High Court has advised the Centre to not tcreate an impression among people of any State that their language was being neglected.

Justice N. Kirubakaran made the suggestion while denying bail to R. Kalailingam, 33, of the Tamil Nadu Liberation Army (TNLA), a banned organisation. The bail applicant is accused of planting bombs in Madurai and Sivaganga districts and also under the car of Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy in 2014.

Justice R. Hemalatha, the other judge in the Division Bench, agreed with the dismissal of the bail application but did not concur with any of the observations made by Justice Kirubakaran in the 48-page verdict, which accused many political parties too of encouraging “linguistic chauvinism to harvest political dividends”.

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Appreciating the Centre for bringing under control the Khalistan movement in Punjab, and the National Liberation Front of Tripura, the United Liberation Front of Assam, the People’s Liberation Army of Manipur and so on, the senior judge also said Naxalism was now raising its ugly head in Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and the borders of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

“This court shuddered to read media reports that some highly educated and respected personalities are having links and helping Naxal movement instead of bringing misguided people to the mainstream. They want our forces to be silent spectators when our national flag is burnt and flags of enemy countries are waved even inside educational institutions by misguided and radicalised youth,” the judgment read.

Observing that the country was facing danger more from elements within the country than those in enemy countries, Justice Kirubakaran said the recent Galwan valley conflict between India and China “exposed people who are lovers of the neighbouring nation as they openly support the enemy country”.

He expressed shock over the existence of many such persons in the media industry.

“They are not giving straightforward news and only disseminate their views in the name of news to mislead people. These elements are a threat to our nation,” he added. The judge also claimed that many anti-national forces masquerade themselves as non-governmental organisations, human rights bodies and political outfits.

“There is a huge difference between fighting against people in power and fighting against the country. These elements do a lot of damage to our country and democracy and therefore people should be wary of those elements,” he added.

Stating that these forces use Tamil race, Tamil culture and Tamil language as weapons for their sinister plans, the judge said that any act of the Centre perceived to be discriminatory against a particular language would add fuel to the mischievous propaganda by secessionist forces, and jeopardise the integrity and security of the nation.

Justice Kirubakaran went on to state that the Britishers had left behind five valuable treasures — a united India; English as a language of science and communication; infrastructure developed by them; laws enacted by them; and an administrative system — and these inherited treasures should be preserved and enhanced and not devalued or destroyed.

He said all 22 languages recognised and listed in Schedule III of the Constitution must be given equal treatment, and that extremist forces must be dealt with an iron hand

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