Keen to see what happens to Madani

The bombs went off at the venue of the rally and at other places in the city. After nine years of incarceration,Madani was let off in the case for lack of evidence.

Advani recounts the episode in his latest blog posting. He recollects his late arrival at the Coimbatore airport from Chennai. A last-minute interview that he had to give to a television news channel having upset his schedule. Advani writes he was surprised to see a large posse of policemen at the Coimbatore airport when he arrived.

An eerie silence prevailed while a few officials could be seen huddled together in one corner. A senior official met me and informed me that a series of blasts had taken place at the venue of my rally,as also in other parts of the city. He said Sec. 144 had been clamped on the whole city,and that I would not be allowed to go into the city, he recollects.

He mentions about his visit to hospitals to meet the injured and the police allowing him to do so after some initial resistance. Advani also notes that both the Congress and the Leftists in Kerala had assiduously wooed Madani and his PDP. 

When earlier Madani was in jail,the Kerala Assembly passed a unanimous resolution demanding his release, he says. With investigation by the Karnataka Police indicating that the Bangalore blast was masterminded by Madani and arresting him,Advani says the country will now be watching with keenness what happens in the Karnataka trial.