Lure of IS not strong among Indian youth, says minister

There is ‘negligible’ support from Indian youth for the Islamic State, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday giving credit to families from minority communities for discouraging their children from getting influenced by the terror group.

Singh also assured the Lok Sabha that no innocent person from minority community would be taken into custody with regard to suspected terror activities and if there are such instances, these can be brought to his notice.

“Minority communities of our country are discouraging this... Parents are discouraging their children (from coming under influence of radicalism). I appreciate it,” Singh said during Question Hour amid thumping of desks by members.

Further, he said that minorities in many other countries are encouraging the Islamic State.

Singh made the remarks while responding to queries about the threat of IS in India and steps taken by the government in this regard. It is a fact that some of our youth followed ISIS but it is “negligible”, the minister said.

Noting that the government took cognisance immediately after IS activities began to spread in different parts of the world, Singh ISIS has been prohibited. “We are very much concerned about the activities of IS... We are taking all steps to contain it,” he said.

Besides, the government assured the House there is not much to worry about the prevailing situation.

Responding to a query on IS influence in India, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said the matter is “very, very sensitive” and the details cannot be discussed in the House”.

“There is nothing much to worry... We need not very much worry about the prevailing situation,” he noted.

A series of actions are being taken by the government including augmenting capacity of National Security Guard and tightening of immigration control, among others.

Responding to a query on whether cases of youth from south India, especially Kerala, getting involved with IS has come to the notice of the government, Rijiju said there is no specific case to cite from south India with regard to the terror group.

With respect to IS, two cases have come in the public domain. Four youth from Maharashtra went to join the terror group and one has returned while another instance of a youth from Bangalore running a pro-IS twitter account has been found, the minister said.

Singh said there is a need to strengthen cyber security to curb activities of such organisations through social media and other platforms.

The government would be setting up a committee to look into further strengthening the country’s cyber security, he said.

Rijiju said there are difficulties in getting to the bottom of issues related to IS and other terror groups using Internet and social media, among others. “Capacity needs to be augmented,” he said.

To a separate query, Singh said no innocent individual from minority communities would be taken into custody.

Indian Union Muslim League leader E Ahamed said activities of IS are anti-Islamic and that his party would support efforts of the government against the terror group.