NEW DELHI: National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Indonesian security affairs minister Mohammed Mahfud Mahmodin on Tuesday will address a meeting of ulema, or Muslim scholars, convened to focus on countering radicalisation and extremism. The Indonesian leader, known as Mahfud MD, will attend this and other meetings which includes talks on security cooperation with Doval. Mahfud MD is expected to meet the External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Mahfud MD, who holds the official position of coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs, is heading a 25-member delegation that includes senior Muslim scholars of Indonesia and representatives of other faiths such as Catholicism and Hinduism.
The day-long dialogue on the role of ulema in fostering interfaith peace and social harmony in India and Indonesia is being hosted by the India Islamic Cultural Centre in line with a proposal made by Mahfud MD when Doval visited Jakarta in March for the second bilateral security dialogue.
Countering radicalisation is a shared concern for India and Indonesia and when the ulema meet on Tuesday, the focus will be on creating common grounds and narratives that can benefit both countries. Both sides also have an interest in presenting the “softer and peaceful” face of Islam, the people said.
Doval will deliver the opening address at the meeting and Mahfud MD will give the keynote address.
They will also speak at the concluding session. The ulema will participate in three closed sessions on the themes ‘Islam: Continuity and change’, ‘Harmonising interfaith society’ and ‘Countering radicalisation and extremism in India and Indonesia’.
Besides the dialogue between the Muslim scholars, the Indonesian ulema will meet Indian leaders of other faiths. The dialogue intends to bring together scholars who can take forward cooperation to promote tolerance and peaceful co-existence and counter violent extremism, the people said.