Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday told the Lok Sabha that 50 radicalised Indian youth have crossed over to the “other side”, PTI reported. While she did not specify where they had gone, Swaraj said “Indian ethos and culture” had helped keep the menace in check. The Centre has set up an anti-radicalisation programme to prevent youth from being led astray, the Minister of External Affairs said.
Explaining that radicalisation was not restricted to the restive state of Jammu and Kashmir, as is the general perception, Swaraj told the House that other states and the countries from across the world were affected too. She said the Centre has already launched an anti-radicalisation programme with states to ensure that the youth are not being misled. The minister credited “Indian ethos and culture for the minimal damage” radicalisation has caused in India.
She attributed the “minimal” impact of radicalisation to alert parents and India’s belief in secularism and the ills of the violence. She also informed the House that the government was ready to host a conference on de-radicalisation with members of the Association of South East Asian Nations. Swaraj said cross-border terrorism would also feature on the meeting’s agenda.
The Centre will mull over All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s proposal to invite Muslim scholars to participate in deliberations, Swaraj said. Owaisi had said that they could suggest more ways to curb radicalisation in the region, PTI reported.
The Union minister also said Indian diplomats in “high-risk” conflict zones were being provided with increased security.
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