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17 September 2022 – The Hindu

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Radicalisation in India

Radicalisation: What is it?

  • It is a process by which a person or group (social, economic, or political, etc.) gradually develops extreme thoughts, sentiments, and actions that are opposed to the status quo of societal order.
  • It inspires someone or a group to act in an extremist manner and to use force against social and political organisations that they disagree with.
  • The radicalization process includes modifications to attitudes, beliefs, behaviour, ideas, goals, ideologies, and desire to bring about radical changes in society that inevitably become severe.
  • Extremism could take the form of political, social, religious, ideological, economic, or societal extremism.
  • The statement gained a lot of attention after the 9/11 US terrorist strikes.
  • It can take on a multitude of forms and be connected to a wide range of reasons or beliefs, depending on the context and the time.

Radicalization patterns:

Right Wing Extremism:

  • This sort of radicalization is frequently associated with supremacist, racist, fascist, and ultranationalist views.
  • Its defining trait is the violent defence of racial, ethnic, or pseudo-national identity.
  • Extreme hostility toward public servants, immigrants, minorities, and/or left-leaning political organisations are also associated with it.

Left-wing extremism:

  • It promotes a thorough reform of the political and social structures that they consider responsible for social inequalities and largely focuses on anti-capitalist demands.
  • They may finally decide to utilise violent methods to further their cause.
  • This group includes anarchists, Maoists, Trotskyists, and Marxist-Leninists who employ violence to achieve their causes.

Political and religious extremism:

  • Typically, this kind of radicalization involves a political interpretation of religion and the use of force to protect one’s identity and traditions from what they believe to be an onslaught.
  • Any religion can have goals that are that radical.

extreme views on a single topic:

  • This particular form of radicalization is caused by a specific issue.
  • This category often includes extreme anti-abortion organisations, some anti-gay/anti-feminist movements, and ultra-individualist or independent extremist movements. Mass murderers who are either totally or partially driven by various ideologies may also fall into this group.
  • They also employ violent methods to achieve their goals.

Factors at play:

External factors

Political:

  • Extremist opinions and behaviour can also be the outcome of a group’s political marginalisation or a lack of integration into society at large.
  • Political occurrences at the local, state, national, or international levels may potentially inspire extremist tendencies.
  • People or groups who are denied equal civil liberties are more vulnerable to the dangers of radical ideology.

Economic:

  • Extremist behaviour is typically associated with periods of economic adversity and weakness.
  • Similar to this, groups are more likely to accept extremism if they are even somewhat denied equal access to economic opportunities.
  • Poverty and unemployment are the two main economic factors that foster extreme thinking and encourage the spread of violent ideologies.

Cultural:

  • Sections with distinct cultural identities may become radicalised in an effort to protect such identities when they feel endangered by outside factors, such as government policies or other situations.
  • Extremism is more common in groups of people who are generally marginalised, cut off from their communities, the targets of stigma and prejudice, and who frequently experience rage and despair (terrorism).

Social factors:

 Social acceptance:

  • People want to categorise themselves according to factors like sex, race, occupation, religion, etc. If these organisations feel threatened or go through an identity crisis, they may turn radical.

Network dynamics:

  • People who use social networks that promote radical ideology and attitudes are more likely to be affected by radicalism.
  • The way people act and form ideas in a network can be significantly influenced by powerful network members and charismatic leaders.
  • Radical ideas are supposed to grow and spread in social media, the internet, and prisons.

Relative deprivation:

  • Certain individuals or groups may become radicalised and demand fair treatment and an improvement in their circumstances when they feel inferior to or worse off than others in a particular situation or historical period.
  • Anger can be utilised to acquire social, psychological, or political significance and can be the catalyst for extremist behaviour since it is driven by feelings of injustice and illegitimacy.

Individual elements:

Psychological characteristics:

  • These people may have violent, antisocial, or aggressive tendencies, are frequently impulsive, depressed, or anxious, lack self-control, and crave novelty and belonging.
  • The psychological traits mentioned above and their inclination to be receptive to the radical ideas of charismatic leaders cause them to become extremists.

Personal interactions:

  • These include cognitive (people’s knowledge, beliefs, and interpretations of their environment) or emotional experiences (feelings of guilt, shame and the desire for revenge).
  • The radical interpretation of such situations may make people or societies more susceptible to radical views or ideas.

Rationality:

  • Psychological or strategic concerns of the benefits and limitations may also draw radicals.
  • Others turn to extremism for the sake of excitement and adventure or in quest of group affiliation to forge a positive identity. Some do it on purpose to further their political and ideological objectives.

The current state of radicalisation in India:

  • Radicalization can occur in India in a variety of ways. Right-wing organisations, the insurgency in the North-East (which includes Tripura, Nagaland, Assam, and others), the militancy in Kashmir, the separatist Khalistan movement, mob lynchings, cow vigilantism, etc. are some of these. Certain States have a left-wing extremist presence (rural areas of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and in parts of Bihar and West Bengal).
  • Al-Qaeda sympathisers and other connected individuals and organisations, as well as IS (Islamic State) followers in states like Telangana, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, all contribute to the list.
  • The internet, social media, and many elements present there, such as hate speech and fake news, are mostly to blame for the rise of radical beliefs in India.
  • Recognizing the significance of political (both left and right) and economic (job losses, unemployment) concerns is equally crucial.
  • Because their attacks are primarily geared against Indian government targets, they frequently target public sites like restaurants, hotels, railway stations, markets, places of worship, festivals, and sporting facilities.
  • The government is taking these challenges seriously and has started a number of programmes to combat the spreading radicalisation in India.

Governmental initiatives:

Legal processes:

  • In 2008, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act was passed in response to the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. (2008).
  • Without the specific permission of States, it has the power to deal with terrorism-related activities across the country.
  • 2019 saw a revision that added a few new provisions.
  • The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act debuted in 1967. (UAPA).
  • “Enable more effective prevention of specific illegal behaviours of persons and organisations engaged in terrorist activity” was the stated goal.
  • In 2019, changes were made to the Act to make it more inclusive.
  • The Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act of 1985, also known as TADA, and the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) of 2002 are additional Acts.

Institutional safeguards:

  • The Counter-Terrorism and Counter Radicalization (CTCR) sections of the Ministry of Home Affairs deal with “radicalization, counter-radicalization, terrorism, and counter-terrorism.”
  • The principal duties of this department are to interpret and implement two significant legislation that the Indian government has passed. These laws are the National Investigation Agency Act (NIA) of 2008 and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967.
  • The Indian government established the Sachar Committee in 2005 to investigate the social, economic, and educational conditions of Muslims living in India and to offer suggestions for improving such conditions.
  • The Government of India has begun implementing reforms in a number of areas, including education, skill development, access to credit, special development initiatives, affirmative action policies, the development of waqf properties (donated for religious or charitable purposes), the Communal Violence (Prevention) Bill, and training public employees, in response to the Committee’s recommendations.
  • The Committee’s recommendations could help prevent the radicalization of Muslims if they are put into practise.
  • Mechanisms in the technology and cyber world
  • India has a large Internet user population, which suggests that youthful minds would be more receptive to radical ideas. Because of this, the government has undertaken a number of initiatives to counter the spread of extremist views online. They include:
  • Any spoken or written statement that sows dissension, hatred, antagonism, or ill will or offends or insults on the basis of religion, culture, language, area, caste, community, or race is punishable under Sections 124A, 153A, 153B, 295A, and 505 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
  • The state’s security, friendly relations with other nations, public order, and preventing incitement to commit crimes were the driving forces behind the creation of the Information Technology Act of 2000 and the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access by Public) Rules, 2009.
  • The Intelligence Bureau (IB) allegedly launched Operation Chukravyuh in late 2014 to address the issues brought on by online radicalization.
  • A few deradicalization and anti-radicalization programmes, like the Civic Action Programs run by the Seema Shastra Bal (SSB) along the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan Borders, are coordinated by the federal government.
  • Other states have also started deradicalization initiatives, such as the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). In attempting to deradicalize those who have been influenced by extremist ideas, it has had some success.

Suggestions:

  • Fundamental concepts like radicalization, deradicalization, counter-radicalization, and anti-radicalization must be better understood by law enforcement at all levels.
  • More study in the fields of radicalization, deradicalization, counter-radicalization, and anti-radicalization relevant to the various regions of India may help us comprehend the causes of radicalization.
  • Programs to counter radicalization should prioritise: Identifying States with Higher Radicalization Intensities.
  • construction of counselling and rehabilitation centres with clergy, psychologists, and counsellors teaching the courses.
  • The regularity and coordination of the programmes carried out by these security forces in sensitive sites are usually severely hampered by a lack of funding. As a result, it’s critical to ensure that the paramilitary forces operating in these areas have access to sufficient funding and supplies.
  • By compiling a database of extremist content, it might be possible to understand the propaganda and ideology of the extremists. This might help in promoting disengagement or in creating tactics to combat radicalization and/or propaganda.
  • On the cyber front, coercion, law, and tools that alter views might be useful. There should be Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes accessible to deal with hate speech incidents.
  • To address instances of people who have been unjustly imprisoned under the POTA, TADA, or UAPA, fast-track courts must be formed.
  • Priority should be given to the reform and rehabilitation of those who have become radicalised.
  • Finally, it might be advantageous to increase youth and vulnerable communities’ understanding of the risks associated with radicalization.

Moving ahead/Conclusion:

  • The radicalization of India has always posed a threat to the state’s peace and security. Extreme opinions have rarely been shown to be detrimental to other citizens. In India, the threat posed by radicalization remains underappreciated and understudied despite the government’s significant efforts on many fronts to address it. In order to counteract extremist views, it may be beneficial to concentrate on the concepts, catalysts, and process nodes that underpin them.

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