Mumbai violence was pre-planned: Intelligence sources

According to a senior source, dealing with internal security in the Union government, the Mumbai violence on August 11 was pre-planned.

According to the source, "There is a background to it. The Islamic Ummah (fraternity) all over the world is deeply disturbed by what's happening in Syria and Lebanon. They are trying to provoke Muslims in and around our region."

Two people died at Mumbai's Azad Maidan during the protests over the violence in Assam and Myanmar.

It turned violent as the small section of crowd, who had lathis and arms, attacked policemen and media and set on fire police and other vehicles.

They were demanding more governmental and media attention to the persecution of Muslims in Myanmar and Assam. This has surprised many security experts who think that the issue of Muslims in Assam and their ethnic clashes with the Bodos can't be equated with the plight of Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar.

The intelligence community at the top level has come to conclusion that not just in Mumbai, conspirators are trying to highlight the troubles of Muslims in Assam and Myanmar on the streets. They want to create trouble simultaneously in Uttar Pradesh and other states.

The senior source claimed that Maharashtra government

was alerted well in advance about some groups who would like to create tension in society.

The source, speaking off the record, said the Indian government's policy in Myanmar is very clear. The Muslims there are facing persecution since the early 1980s. Many of them have migrated to Bangladesh and are living in camps. But since the last few years Bangladesh is not allowing their entry.

This has created tremendous pressure in the north-east region where the Rohingyas from Myanmar want to infiltrate. The government of India cannot be party to the tussle between Bangladesh and Myanmar when the north-east is reeling under ethnic sensitivities for different reasons.

The high level source explained to rediff.com that Indian secular leaders (who want the government to speak on the internal issue of Myanmar) and Muslim community leaders should understand the genesis of the Rohingya Muslims issue. Bangladesh, a Muslim majority country, has lately, changed its humanitarian, pro-liberal policy towards Rohngiya Muslims. That is the crux of the current tension for the Rohingyas, who are under pressure from Buddhist radicals inside Myanmar.

Since the doors of Bangladesh have been closed, the Rohingyas want to take refuge in India.