Like several other cities, Hyderabad too is on the terror list. Besides, it is a known fact that it has a strong network of homegrown organisations such as SIMI. Now, the city’s Muslim community — often the target of hate after terror attacks — has started a movement to wean its youth away from radical ideology and transform the image of the minority community.To begin with, study centres — mushrooming along side religious institutions where Muslim youth congregate in large numbers — are holding seminars, lectures and workshops for disillusioned youth. Those coming to these centres are informed about the Constitution, law, human rights and how they can fight democratically, in case wronged. Moreover, organisations like the All India Mujlis Tameer-e-Millat have started monitoring activities of young Muslim men and women and warning their parents whenever they are found straying. Intellectuals like Prof Rehana Sultana are involving young women and housewives to sensitise them about how the men in their family could get involved with “wrong” people. The introspection and the urgent need to prevent youth from flirting with terror groups arose last year after blasts at Mecca Masjid, Lumbini Park and Gokul Chat House rocked the city. Though these cases have not been cracked, the suspected involvement of locals forced the community to look within. In fact, after the blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad, community leaders went about inquiring if any youngster was missing. “We want to ensure that our youth do not get involved in terror activites. There are so many disillusioned youth who are nursing radical thoughts or are symphathetic to terror elements. Through various activities we are preventing them from going the wrong way,” said Rahim Qureshi, president of the Mujlis Tameer-e-Millat. “At the study centres, discussions are initiated that are aimed at assuaging their feelings and clearing misconceptions,” added Qureshi, who is also general secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board.The community was worried when some girls from a madrasa shouted slogans seeking revenge outside a police station a few months ago. “That really got us worried. We immediately contacted the madrasa, which is run by Abdul Aleem Islahi and told him to restrain and counsel the girls,” Qureshi said. “We monitor youths, keep a watch on them during public functions and move into action if we find youths getting friendly or hobnobbing with strangers who arrived in the city recently,” said Abdul Latif, a social activist of Mughalpura.Muslim groups have also started organising seminars and lectures, especially on terrorism and how the community should deal with it. “Many find it surprising, but we tell our youth that there are democratic ways to seek justice if they have been wronged by the police or the Government,” added Latif Mohammed Khan, secretary of Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee.Khan said that he interacts with youth who are angry over police atrocities, illegal detention, torture in police custody and want to avenge all that. “When they complain that they have been wronged, we dig out instances of people who have gone through similar circumstances and dealt with it peacefully. We counsel them that they are not the only victims,” Khan added.The oft-repeated example is that of Unani medicine student Ibrahim Ali Junaid who was picked up for questioning after the Mecca Masjid blast and allegedly tortured. “He is a perfect example of a youth who was illegally confined by police without any evidence due to which he lost one academic year and faced the stigma of being labelled as a terrorist. He was seething with anger and would have easily fallen prey to terror groups looking for recruits. But we counselled him and provided emotional and psychological support. On his behalf, we filed a petition against the police and claimed damages,” Khan said.Community elders insist that landlords, neighbours, shopkeepers now report if they notice any suspicious activities in their locality.Rehana Sultana of the Maulana Azad National Urdu University is organising group meetings and public programmes cautioning and advising youth to stay away from terror groups. “We are not only working on improving the image of the minority community but also making efforts to transform the younger generation and keep them away from getting involved with terrorism,” she said. “Youths who are picked up by the police as suspects require the maximum counselling. They are angry and thus vulnerable. There are men whose spouses left them after they were picked up by police. They are our target group,” she said, adding that women of the community are joining her eagerly in her efforts.
