‘Radicalisation of Muslim youth a major challenge for national security’

New Delhi: Radicalisation, particularly of the Muslim youth, is one of the key challenges for national security and it is important to take moderate Muslim leaders and clerics into confidence to counter radical organisations, according to papers submitted at a security meet attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The papers, written by some IPS officers and submitted at the just-concluded conference, noted that the rise in religious fundamentalism in India is primarily due to high level of indoctrination, easy availability of modern means of communication, including encrypted form, cross-border terrorism and Pakistan encouraging these radical groups.

Apart from the prime minister, the three-day annual conference was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and about 350 top police officers of the country.

“Radicalisation, particularly of the Muslim youth, is one of the important challenges

for national security of our country. Several radical Muslim organisations are active in India, which indulge in organised radicalisation of the Muslim youth. They have inherent tendency to corrupt minds of Muslim community, push them on the violent path and work against composite culture,” the papers noted.

In view of this, tackling radical organisations become imperative and priority in the interests of social harmony and national security.

These organisations are engaged in radical interpretation of Islamic scriptures and concepts.

They also create a sense of victimhood in Muslim psyche. In pursuit of puritanical Islam, their preaching go against modern values such as democracy and secularism.

In India, the papers revealed, the recently banned PFI, another banned group SIMI, Wahdat-e-Islami, Islamic Youth Federation, Hizb-ut Tahreer and Al-Ummah are some Muslim organisations, which fit in this category.