Centre holds meeting to check IS threat

The Union Home Ministry on Saturday held a day-long interaction with the intelligence and investigation agencies of the Centre and states to firm up an action plan for containing growing influence of Islamic State among Muslim youths.

In the meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, emphasis was laid on focussing on welfare schemes for minorities, sprucing social media response and capacity building of police.

The home minister, in his concluding remarks, exhibited confidence that “India’s traditions and family values will triumph over even this evil” to hold back youth from minorities in getting influenced by such ideologies propagated by IS.

“Though the traction that Daesh (an arabic acronym for IS) has got in India is extremely limited, and almost insignificant relative to other countries, there is a need to keep up vigil on all fronts, and not let down our guard in any manner,” Singh told the gathering of top cops.

He appreciated that most Muslim organisations in country had come out against both Daesh and other forms of terrorism which had helped in countering its influence.

According to a press release issued by the Home Ministry, the issues discussed included inter-alia misuse of social media; sources of impetus that attract persons, especially youth, to Daesh and the growth of Daesh influence in India’s neighbourhood. The best possible law enforcement response; the need for appropriate welfare schemes for minorities; social media strategies to be followed; and capacity building of state police organisations, specially in the area of information technology were other topics deliberated at length in the meeting.

National intelligence, investigative agencies and law enforcement officers from 13 states and Union territory were present to discuss on sources of impetus that attract persons to IS.

Thirteen states and a Union territory attended the interaction. The government has also been working with foreign countries to help them identify Muslim youths from India who manage to escape to join IS. Only two days ago, four youths were detained in Syria for trying to join IS.

Last December, three youths were arrested from Nagpur airport before they managed to fly off to fight for IS.