INDIA'S DANGER FROUGHT ELECTIONS: TWO BLASTS ON TRAIN IN CHENNAI EXEMPLIFIES THE ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE SOWED BY HATE SPEECH IN CAMPAIGN PUSH

 

The current elections in India have escalated to a drag down fight where hate speech and ludicrous contentions take precedence to matters that affect the Indian population.  A divisive, scorched earth campaign is being waged that has not failed to offend almost any group and has incited violence with statements such as "if Muslims don't vote for me, they will go to Pakistan" with a veiled threat of deportation made all too clear.

Fever pitch is not conducive to a democratic election.  Old hatreds and prejudices are being stoked to full effect, and many of the ugly divisions that were in display in the 1940's seem to have come roaring back.  

Although India in under a quasi state of emergency and there is police everywhere, the two bombs were successfully detonated. 

The blasts occurred on the train line in the middle of the station of Chennai, one of India's largest cities. Only one person died, a young woman in her twenties, but many others were injured, two of them critically.  The line, the Bangalore-Guwahati Express, was hit in the sleeper class coach section..  

The detonation were not very powerful, and were classified as minor intensity blasts.  Police also believe that the target might not have been Chennai, since the train had a considerable delay.  In fact Chennai has already voted in the elections, making the blast less effective as an intimidation tool. If the train had been on time, the bombs would have detonated in Andra Pradesh.

The elections are nearing an end, with the final turn to be held on May 16, just two weeks away.  

There is great speculation as to who is responsible for the blasts. Some police officials believe that the two blasts may not even be related. Both charges, however, were hidden under the train seats.

Following the blasts, a security alert was issued for Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh. The latter is the venue where Narendra Modi, the controversial BJP party leader, is slated to give his latest speech  this week.

Indian police forces are concerned about possible attacks from Indian Mujahideen group, since the elections have been dominated by nationalist speech and hate speech.  Modi in particular is seen as inimical to the Muslim community.  

 Op-Ed

Sources: The HIndu, Al Jazeera: 5.1.14