‘Be watchful of madrasas’

The Union Home Ministry has asked the Jammu and Kashmir government to closely monitor all the seminaries in the state, especially those being run by Jamiat-e-Ahle-Hadees and other Wahhabi organisations, in the wake of growing concerns that the ISIS might try to get a foothold in Kashmir. The Centre’s direction follows fresh inputs that ISIS sympathisers are present in various seminaries of the state, especially those being run by the Jamiat.
The Centre has asked the state government to provide an updated list of all the seminaries working in the state, their sources of funding and their various networks. The Centre has cautioned the state government not to be complacent about reports that ISIS ideology is taking roots in the Kashmir valley and is being spread through the seminaries of Jamiat-e-Ahle-Hadees, especially in the rural areas.
Intelligence agencies and army commanders posted in J&K have already expressed their concern about growing radicalisation in Kashmir and have told the state government to take quick and active steps to curb it. “Social media and other such platforms are being monitored. We have also started collecting details about the madrasas being run in different areas and their sources of funding,” a senior police official told this newspaper. He said that dozens of youngsters were called to the cyber police station and were given counselling so that they do not fall in the trap of radical elements. “Some youngsters of Kashmir are in touch with ISIS networks and we have even talked to their parents,” the official further said. He claimed that many young persons have now come out of the influence of the ISIS’ ideology and their parents are thankful to the police for their timely action.
In many protests that took place in Kashmir recently, young men were seen raising pro-ISIS and pro-Al-Qaeda slogans. Thousands of people joined the funeral procession of Abu Qasim, the most wanted Lashkar militant commander in South Kashmir. The state government slapped the Public Safety Act on local Auqaf head, Fayaz Ahmad Rather of Kulgam, who had led the funeral prayers of Abu Qasim.