In a candid interview with the OneIndia, an online news portal, former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) officer, Amar Bhushan divulges the uncharted facts about radicalisation and terror down south India during his tenure, the accusations on the agencies of reacting late on the same and the noncompliance of the Congress government then.

While talking to OneIndia about the peril lurking down South as terror and radicalisation became a major threat there, Bhushan rubbishes the allegation on agencies of reacting late in South India. He maintains that the agencies never got a free hand under the government then to act against radicalisation and terrorism down South.

“When there are governments which latch on to support from Muslim dominated parties, there is very little support one can expect”, Bhushan says, as he furthers that because of the Government interference then (during the Congress regime), it became difficult to operate in South India.

Citing the example of the 2010 German Bakery blast in which Islamic terrorist, Yasin Bhatkal, the alleged co-founder of the terror organisation Indian Mujahideen was involved, Bhushan said that because the agencies were not involved in the case at the appropriate time, there was a delay in the investigation. Yasin Bhatkal has been last month charged for the 2010 blast.

“There is a kind of denying tolerance towards extremist activities. When there is a government which does not want to go all out, then what can one expect”, Bhushan asks.

Bhushan claims that if the State government does not work in unison with the Central government, taking prompt and adequate action against terrorism becomes difficult, which he said was the situation in South India.

Endorsing the BJP government at the centre, the former R&AW official says, “Look at the free hand given to the National Investigation today. The agency is going all out against the radical activities in South India and I must say they are doing a commendable job. Moreover, they are not restricting themselves only to the South. They are in Bengal and a whole lot of other states.”

“As police personnel, I can tell you that if you are not given a free hand, you really cannot operate. If you decide to go ahead, you will never know when you will get tripped,” he further adds.

Talking about the days he was an officer with the R&AW during the Congress rule, Bhushan asserts, “I can tell you this that we wanted to operate aggressively in Pakistan, but were never allowed to do it. Moreover, for permission for surveillance, we always had to go to the Home Ministry and seek approval after giving a lot of explanation. You cannot keep running to the MHA all the time.”

Applauding BJP government for giving a free hand to the National Investigation Agency, the former officer says, “The NIA is today successful because of surveillance measures that they have taken. The thing is, if you have created an agency, then let it run freely. Surveillance is the heart of any operation and absolutely needed to monitor extremist elements.”