Secular ethos keeps country largely free of extremism: Govt

Sushma Swaraj and Rajnath Singh in Parliament Wednesday. (Source: Express photo by Anil Sharma)

Fifty radicalised young men from India have crossed over to the “other side” — “us taraf gaye hain” — but the secular Indian ethos, culture and family system have ensured the country remains by and large free from extremism, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told Lok Sabha today.

The minister, responding to a string of questions, did not elaborate what she meant by the “other side”. She said the threat of radicalisation was not restricted to J&K but included all states and the entire world. The Centre, she said, had embarked on a programme with all states to counter radicalisation. She attributed the lack of response to radicalisation to Indian ethos and culture, secularism and family system in which parents and others kept an eye on what a person did.

In Rajya Sabha, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said there is “no need to be worried” about ISIS spreading in India. If some youth get influenced by the radical ideology of the terrorist organisation, he said, the government runs a counter-radicalism programme. Minister of State (Home) Hansraj Ahir said around 80 people suspected to have been influenced by the ISIS ideology have been held in the country.