Home Ministry clears study to analyse ‘radicalisation’ across India, suggest amends to UAPA

The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved a study to analyse the process of radicalisation in India. The study aims to identify the modus operandi of radical outfits and suggest solutions to prevent such incidents.

It would also suggest changes to the Unlawful Activity Prevention Law (UAPA). The study is to be headed by a criminology professor. Prof. GS Bajpai of National Law University, who’ll head the government study on the status of radicalisation in India, on Sunday said that Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Assam have reported some incidents of serious radicalisation. The study will focus on these states/UTs and constitute teams to get evidence of such incidents.

“These teams will understand existing measures undertaken by police in these areas in order to counter radicalisation process. We’ll try to come out with a policy document that would be ultimately useful in developing a systematic response to radicalisation in India,” Bajpai added.

Bajpai said that changes in UAPA Act will be suggested to the government on the basis of the study’s findings. “We will also critically reviewing the current legal aspects, UAPA Act primarily. We would study to define radicalisation and de-radicalisation,” he added.

“Approximately 75 radicalised individuals, those undergoing de-radicalisation and de-radicalised individuals shall be sampled from each state. Similarly, 75 functionaries from law enforcement agencies, officers of correctional services and judges will be interviewed from each state,” Bajpai said.

“Lastly, approximately 50 relatives of the individuals, psychologists, psycho-social workers, counsellors, religious and community leaders will be sampled from each state,” he added