NEW DELHI: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday told the Lok Sabha that terror outfit Islamic State (IS) has been banned in India under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Amendment (1967) Act (UAPA) as terrorist organisation under point number 33. The move comes against the backdrop of the recent arrest of IS sympathiser Mehdi Masroor Biswas in Bengaluru.
Rajnath, quoting UAPA point 33, said any terror organisation banned by the UN is automatically included in the list of member countries. He also said there is negligible involvement of Indian youth in IS activities claiming that the Centre has taken necessary steps to contain the spread of the highly radicalised group’s propaganda.
To a question by Congress’s M Ramachandran, Rajnath gave the entire credit to minorities for rejecting IS’ high-pitched global recruitment drive. “Radicalised youth are being discouraged by the community from joining IS activities in Syria and Iraq. The outfit may be getting support in some countries with a high Muslim population but the parents of Indian youth are discouraging their kids,” he said.
The Home Minister said the Central government has taken IS activities in other countries very seriously and anti-terror agencies have been strengthened to tackle any situation.