Context:
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has, for the first time, approved a research study on “status of radicalisation in India.”
The study would attempt to legally define “radicalisation” and suggest amendments to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), the police think tank of the MHA, had invited research proposals from academicians and legal experts in the year 2018.
About Radicalisation:
The word “radical” refers to change in the fundamental nature of something, thus Radicalism is set of beliefs or actions of people who advocate thorough or complete political or social reform.
Radicalisation refers to the process of an individual’s transformation from a moderate, law-abiding citizen into an active, anti-state, violent extremist.
The outcomes of radicalization are shaped by the ideas of the society at large; for example, radicalism can originate from a broad social consensus against progressive changes in society or from a broad desire for change in society.
Radicalization can be both violent and nonviolent, although most academic literature focuses on radicalization into violent extremism (RVE).
Radicalisation in India:
- It is associated with a political interpretation of religion and the defence, by violent means, of a religious identity perceived to be under attack.
- Use of Religion by ISIS to spread its influence all over the world is an example.
- Right-Wing Radicalism: It is a form of radicalization associated with fascism, racialism/racism, supremacism and ultranationalism.
- Left Wing Radicalism: This form of radicalization focuses primarily on anti-capitalist demands and calls for the transformation of political systems considered responsible for producing social inequalities, and that may ultimately employ violent means to further its cause.
- Cases have revealed instances of internet-facilitated indoctrination and active radicalisation in multiple states.
- Instances of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) have grown despite the continued government intervention.
- Encounters, ambushes and arrests still occur with regular frequency in the red corridor districts.
- Increased incidents of mob lynching, cow vigilantism and the string of assassinations of rationalists such as Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and Gauri Lankesh point towards rising extremism in the right wing cadres.
Steps to Tackle Radicalism:
- A consistent counter radical strategy is required to tackle radicalism.
- Educational and political institutions should be strengthened at ground level so that people of any state feel empowered. Also, enough number of job opportunities should be provided to people to decrease their chances of joining any radicalism organization.
- As per the secretary of the Committee on Criminal Reforms, radicalisation is not merely a policing issue. Aggressive policing measures could be counter -productive as the youth who were radicalised were “misguided” and not the culprits.
- Right thinking people in the community will have to be mobilised
- Enough number of job opportunities should be provided to people to decrease their chances of joining any radicalise organization.
- The corner stone for radicalization is poverty, deprivation and isolation and lack of employment and standard education opportunities, these to be addressed.
- It needs to be ensured that people who been de-radicalized feel safe and secure in the country.
- Social media to be regulated when such info of such activities to be held and to draw a legalized guide lines to regulate in due means without contradicting the privacy of an individual.
- There should be sufficient evidence behind banning any organization. This is necessary to avoid court cases. Also, Intelligence Agencies, Law Enforcement Agencies and Judicial Courts need to act in unison on this matter.
- Once government identifies any radicalism organization, it needs to take hold of their physical and financial resources.
- Countering activities of radicalism. If hate can be taught, then love and social responsibilities toward people and the nation can also be taught. This is necessary to de-radicalize people.
- It needs to be ensured that people who been de-radicalized feel safe and secure in the country.
Radicalisation is a danger to internal security and polarises the Indian society deepening the sectarian differences.
Thus, it is imperative to fight radicalisation on all fronts.
Initiatives like UDAAN they must be inclusive in nature and drag youth from all sections ,Nehru yuva kendra to be given impetus in such areas to involve youth in all capacity ,cultural and sports activities so there are less chances for them to get influenced from such ideological goals.
Conclusion:
Radicalisation has to be addressed in a systematic manner and a policy should be devised by the Centre.
Radicalization offers critical challenges at the national, regional and global levels, rendering inadequate many of the traditional tools of violence prevention, peace building and democratic governance.
It requires policy makers and practitioners to appreciate the unique nature of these ideologies, many of them seeking the wholesale destruction of civic order as opposed to its reform or even restructuring.
It is not merely a policing issue. In India, people are sensitive about religion, what we are attempting is correct interpretation of holy books such as Quran, Gita or Bible.
