[ Bengia Ajum ]
ITANAGAR, 29 Jan: The growing radicalisation in the country among both Hindus and Muslims found mention in the papers presented during the recently concluded all-India conference of director generals/inspector generals of police.
The officers from various states presented papers highlighting right-wing extremism, politico-religious extremism, left-wing extremism, Islamic radicalisation and internet radicalisation. However, it is the growing Islamic and right-wing radicalisation which drew the officers’ attention.
A senior IPS officer from Manipur – a BJP ruled state – in his paper highlighted that India, though being a plural society, is inching towards majoritarianism. He named the Bajrang Dal and the VHP while writing about right-wing radicalisation.
“Right-wing radical groups have witnessed an upswing in the second decade of the 21st century across continents, and the idea of supremacism has caught the attention of security establishments globally. Far-right individuals or groups tend to aggressively defend national culture and history. They have an authoritative concept of the state, in which the state and the people, all of which are ethnically homogenous, should merge into a single unit,” he wrote.
An IPS officer from Rajasthan in his paper wrote that the demolition of the Babri Masjid, along with the growth of Hindu nationalism, cases of beef lynching, and “ghar vapsi movement,” has been a breeding ground for extremist group to recruit and radicalise young minds.
Further several police officials in their papers mentioned radicalisation, particularly of Muslim youths, as one of the important challenges for national security.
Several radical Muslim organisations are active in India and indulge in organised radicalisation of Muslim youths. They have an inherent tendency to corrupt the minds of the Muslim community, push them on the violent path, and work against composite culture.
Some of the radical Islamic organisations which have been flagged by senior police officials included the Popular Front of India (PFI), the SIMI, the Wahdat-e-Islami, the Islamic Youth Federation, the Hizb-ut Tahreer, and the Al-Ummah. Among these Muslim organisations, the PFI, which is now banned, has been described as the most potent radical organisation.
The danger of Islamic organisations making entry into the Northeast region through the porous boundaries of Assam and Tripura was also strongly highlighted by the officials. Several remedial measures were suggested by the police officials to tackle the growing trend of radicalisation.
The UN has identified radicalisation as the biggest threat to the security and safety of all member states. It has brought the international community together to condemn terrorist acts, and developed the international legal framework to enable states to fight the threat collectively.
