‘Need reform plans for brainwashed youngsters’

When the Kalyan-based family of a reportedly slain ISIS recruit, Fahad Shaikh, were informed about the death of their 26-year-old son in Syria, the pain and grief soon turned into anger against the government.

The key complaint, as one of the relatives confided, was "lack of a humane strategy" to persuade misguided youngsters like Shaikh to return home.

The government needs to have a soft approach and win the confidence of such radicalized youths. It is to be kept in mind that one of the Kalyan youths, Areeb Majeed, who too had joined the ISIS, returned home only to be locked in a high security prison and has been facing a long trial.

"Majeed should have been the showcase candidate where he could have been given an opportunity to transform and to change his mind-set. Today, that opportunity has been lost. Those who could be thinking of returning home feel it is better to stay there than end up the rest of their lives in dark dungeons and in court trials,'' a relative of the youngster had recently said.

The comment has triggered a debate with a section believing that the Shaikh's family was not "qualified to lecture the government on the reforms and rehabilitation of radicalized youths".

"By blaming the government, they are merely debating the consequences. They are shifting their guilt and own failure in comprehending the changes in their sons. Family plays the most important role in increasing resilience and defeating extremist tendencies. Convincing and converting these youths into jihad did not happen overnight. What were the parents and relatives doing when all this was happening right under their nose?'' questioned a Mumbra-based youth who is associated with Students Islamic Organisation (SIO).

Criminal physcologists and police officials dealing with such terror-related cases, however, believe that there is a need for a counter strategy to deal with terrorism and violence.

"We could take a leaf from the reform and rehabilitation policy for naxalites which was initiated by then home minister R R Patil.

Those who are willing to give up their guns are provided with cash and there is a rehabilitation plan which will ensure that they can support their families.

The same could be introduced for such misguided youths who are being brainwashed into believing either a political or a fanatic religious concept,'' a senior police officer said.

Snehill Dhall, a criminologist, said there was an urgent need to put in place a counter-radicalization policy.

Former ATS chief Rakesh Maria too had taken up this initiative and transformed a group of about 25 youths and brought them to the main stream with a concrete rehabilitation plan.

Experts believe that if a de-radicalization policy is implemented at the earliest, it would directly combat the ISIS ideology from spreading its roots to India.