ISIS failed to attract Indian Muslims, Rajnath Singh says
Home minister Rajnath Singh said Indian Muslims are patriots and are not swayed by fundamentalist ideologies.
NEW DELHI: Addressing an international audience at a counter-terror conference organized in Jaipur, home ministerRajnath Singh on Thursday reiterated his faith in the patriotism of Indian Muslims and asserted that influence of Islamic State (ISIS) was negligible on Indian youth. He, however, cautioned the global community on the appeal of ISIS among the young and educated and found the threat of do-it-yourself lone wolves real.
He also informed the audience that government had set up an expert committee to study the linkages between terrorism and internet.
The home minister made these statements at the inaugural session of the International Counter-Terrorism Conference organized by India Foundation in association with Sardar Patel University of Police Security and Criminal Justice. The first-of-its-kind conference with an aim to look at terrorism from "the point of view of society" has experts and scholars participating from various countries including US, Europe, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Singh said, "Influence of Islamic State on the Indian youth is negligible as just a handful of Indian youth have joined the ISIS and some have also returned after being persuaded by their families. The failure of ISIS to attract Indian Muslims is due to the complete integration of Indian Muslims into the national mainstream. Indian Muslims are patriots and are not swayed by fundamentalist ideologies. India as a country is proud of all its diversity."
READ ALSO: Kalyan youth with alleged ISIS links arrested
Singh, however, cautioned the audience about the influence of internet in spreading the ideology and said that "the appeal of ISIS to the young, educated people, in spite of its medieval ideology, is a cause for concern to the global community. ISIS are adept at using the latest technologies to propagate their beliefs and deeds. They extensively use modern technology to reach out to wider audience with susceptible minds."
"The menace of terrorism is greatly amplified in today's digital world. Today a 'lone wolf' or a 'DIY (Do It Yourself) Terrorist' can go online and learn how to carry out an attack without ever leaving home. We have recently constituted an expert committee to look into all possible avenues of cybercrime and its linkages with the terrorist world," Singh added.
READ ALSO: ISIS's voice on Twitter is executive from Bengaluru
The minister used the opportunity to blame Pakistan for spreading terrorism in India. "The source of most terrorist activity in India lies across our borders. It is unfortunate that even after paying such a heavy cost for itself, Pakistan and its associates find it difficult to understand that there are no 'good terrorists and bad terrorists'."
Singh called for international cooperation to build popular opinion and pressurise the countries that use terrorists as their strategic assets.
Singh said that terror outfits like the ISIS do not believe in a pluralistic society and are extremely intolerant of a liberal and secular democratic order. They do not accept the fundamental fact that diversity of faiths and philosophies reflects the inherent beauty of human beings, he added.
He also informed the audience that government had set up an expert committee to study the linkages between terrorism and internet.
The home minister made these statements at the inaugural session of the International Counter-Terrorism Conference organized by India Foundation in association with Sardar Patel University of Police Security and Criminal Justice. The first-of-its-kind conference with an aim to look at terrorism from "the point of view of society" has experts and scholars participating from various countries including US, Europe, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
READ ALSO: Kalyan youth with alleged ISIS links arrested
Singh, however, cautioned the audience about the influence of internet in spreading the ideology and said that "the appeal of ISIS to the young, educated people, in spite of its medieval ideology, is a cause for concern to the global community. ISIS are adept at using the latest technologies to propagate their beliefs and deeds. They extensively use modern technology to reach out to wider audience with susceptible minds."
"The menace of terrorism is greatly amplified in today's digital world. Today a 'lone wolf' or a 'DIY (Do It Yourself) Terrorist' can go online and learn how to carry out an attack without ever leaving home. We have recently constituted an expert committee to look into all possible avenues of cybercrime and its linkages with the terrorist world," Singh added.
READ ALSO: ISIS's voice on Twitter is executive from Bengaluru
The minister used the opportunity to blame Pakistan for spreading terrorism in India. "The source of most terrorist activity in India lies across our borders. It is unfortunate that even after paying such a heavy cost for itself, Pakistan and its associates find it difficult to understand that there are no 'good terrorists and bad terrorists'."
Singh called for international cooperation to build popular opinion and pressurise the countries that use terrorists as their strategic assets.
Singh said that terror outfits like the ISIS do not believe in a pluralistic society and are extremely intolerant of a liberal and secular democratic order. They do not accept the fundamental fact that diversity of faiths and philosophies reflects the inherent beauty of human beings, he added.
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