Centre ups ante as agencies eye 20 states as hub of Islamic radicalisation

Radicalisation has been a long drawn problem in India. Attempts are being made from several quarters to radicalise the youth in India.

The Centre has raised the heat in a bid to quell radicalisation, which has become extremely rampant.

The focus is on more than 20 states and the agencies have been directed to keep a close watch on both online as well as offline activities of these persons indulging in radicalisation.

Further the agencies have been asked to prepare a list of fugitives who are spreading hatred from foreign countries. The focus is multi-pronged an official explains to OneIndia. There is close tab being kept on radicals from the Islamic State and the pro-Khalistan elements. Pakistan has been using both these elements to ensure that India bleeds, the official further said.

These elements have been on overdrive mode, the government is keeping a close tab on their social media handles, YouTube channels among others. The government recently blocked some YouTube channels which were instrumental in putting out anti-India messages.

There is also the additional headache of radicalisation emanating out of Bangladesh. There is a fresh push being made to send more people into the country through West Bengal.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on its part has been busy in recent times. It has conducted country-wide raids in a bid to crack down on terrorists, radical Islamists and pro-Khalistan elements. In almost all cases, it has been found that these elements have been radicalised online either by members of the Islamic State or by pro-Khalistan elements. The role of Pakistan has been found in each of these cases, the official explained.

The radicalisation in South India in particular has been alarming. Outfits such as the Popular Front of India (PFI) which was recently banned has managed to spread its network deep in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. They have been using these states as bases to further their agenda in the rest of the country. There is a dedicated network in Karnataka which is being paid through crypto-currency to drive this agenda, the NIA learnt during a raid that was conducted on Saturday. The amount was paid specifically to create unrest in India. With so many elections in India this year and the general elections next year, these elements would look to step up their activity ten-fold to create trouble in the country, officials also explained.

In another case, the NIA found that a Delhi based tout who was securing visas for Indian technicians and labourers seeking to work in Islamic nations was misusing their Aadhaar cards to procure SIM cards. These SIM cards would be given to his Pakistani handlers who would in turn activate WhatsApp accounts and send out hate messages to numbers in India, with a view of radicalising the youth.