The Islamic Republic of Pakistan uses a mixture of social media, local influencers, and narcotics to radicalise the Kashmiri youth into picking up arms (weapons), along with the attempts to push narcotics across the Line of Control (LOC) are a matter of concern as it is gradually destroying the youth of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir said Lt Gen Aujla, the General Officer Commanding of the 15th Corps of the Indian Army.
However, the people-friendly initiatives used by the Indian Army are successfully countering the propaganda launched by inimical elements in the valley.
In an interview with Press Trust of India (PTI) last week, Lt.Gen Aujla said that “Social Media plays a very important role in radicalization, and that is where the Western adversary invests very heavily, and that is where narratives are built, themes are built which are then let loose in the environment and caught by youngsters here.”
Besides social media, the local cadres of Jamaat-e-Islami also play a major role in the indoctrination of the youth. Aujla says, “The Local Jamaatis play a major role in radicalizing the youngsters. So, a combination of these gives the youth this high falling on the wrong path or joining a Tanzeem or picking up weapons and doing something wrong.”
“It is just that within a large section of the society, there are certain inimical elements who do prey upon certain individuals who are very vulnerable because of either education or the conditions at home or peer pressure. It is social media, the Jamaatis who are there, and to a certain extent the peer group and a little bit about narcotics which gets them on doing certain wrongs,” he said.
He also said that the geography and terrain of the LOC in the valley make it difficult to transport narcotics across the border using drones and unmanned aerial vehicles.
“The Geography actually does not permit them to use this technology or equipment in the place, So, from that point, I think they are decently immune, But I cannot say for sure that cannot be used. There are certain places where they can, but we are pretty robust on the ground to take care of any such misadventure by the enemy in this area,” he said.
Lt. Aujla said that with the pressure being mounted by investigative agencies like the NIA (National Investigative Agency) and the SIA (Special Investigative Agency) on the terror financing networks, the narcotic smugglers have become the source to finance the nefarious deeds of inimical elements.
“From where it was and where it is now, we have put a little bit of check on that. The lid was put. The agencies and the administration are pretty sensitive to it, and many methods and many measures have been put in place to ensure this particular trend is controlled and captured at the earliest,” he added.
The GoC revealed that the narcotics were ruining the system and society. “As far as the Kashmiris are concerned, a lot of youngsters are getting into this kind of business, both as carriers and consumptions part as well. That is where some money comes back, which Tanzeems uses to fund their designs,” he said.
The Indian Army has launched Operation Sadbhavna, which focuses on the army on three major facets. “The first is education where we put a lot of impetus, a lot of focus is there to enhance the educational reforms to give them top-notch education in whatever way is possible. That is where twenty-eight Army Goodwill schools are presently running in the valley, which is a huge number It has a total of 11,000 students, and if you add the staff, it becomes 15,000, so that is the type of families with which we are associated for a long period of time,” he said.
The officer said that the other aspect in which the Indian Army has invested very heavily is the de-radicalization part, the Sahi Rasta (right path) programme, where the people on the brink of joining terror ranks are brought back to the mainstream. The third aspect is narcotics related where addicts are given medical help and counselling.
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