A significant political clash erupted on Tuesday following the emergence of a video featuring Dr Umar un Nabi, accused in the Red Fort blast, endorsing suicide attacks. The BJP accused the Congress and its allies of fostering an environment conducive to radicalisation, while the Congress called for all parties to refrain from premature political statements until the investigation concludes. BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar escalated his criticism, stating that the bomber’s justification for suicide missions was not coincidental but a result of what he termed the ‘dangerous politics’ of the Congress, Rahul Gandhi, and their INDI bloc partners. He claimed that coalitions involving the Congress, CPM, SDPI, and Jamaat-e-Islami in Kerala played a role in radicalising Muslim youth.
In a post on X, he asserted that such political dynamics allowed extremist ideologies to proliferate unchecked, accusing leaders like Pinarayi Vijayan and Rahul Gandhi of being complicit. Chandrasekhar previously cautioned that the increasing radicalisation of Muslim youth poses a national threat and emphasized the need for political reform in Kerala. The Congress, represented by spokesperson Pawan Khera, stated that the party would abstain from comments until the investigation is complete. Meanwhile, investigators are scrutinising the contentious one-minute-20-second video, reportedly recorded in April.
In this footage, Umar un Nabi, who drove the explosive-laden Hyundai i20 that detonated outside the Red Fort on November 10, resulting in at least 12 fatalities, delivers an English monologue justifying suicide attacks as ‘martyrdom.’ The video was retrieved from a damaged mobile phone found in a waterbody near his Pulwama residence, which Nabi had given to his brother with instructions to dispose of it if anything happened to him. After the brother’s detention, he revealed the phone’s location, enabling investigators to recover the data. Although no agency has officially authenticated the video, officials familiar with the investigation regard it as crucial evidence.
Investigators are also planning to question detained members of the so-called ‘white-collar’ terror module regarding the video’s purpose. The National Investigation Agency has confirmed that Umar un Nabi, a doctor from Al Falah University in Faridabad, executed the suicide bombing, with DNA samples matched to his mother. His mother and two brothers are in custody, alongside three other doctors—Dr Muzammil Ganaie, Dr Shaheen Shahid, and Dr Adeel Rather—while inquiries continue into further suspects, including a doctor believed to be in Afghanistan and another individual still at large.
