Like several other cities, Hyderabad too is on the terror
list. Besides, it is a known fact that it has a strong net-
work of home-grown organisations such as SIMI. Now the city’s Muslim
community – often the target of hate after terror attacks – has started a
movement to wean its youth away from radical ideology and transform the
image of the minority community.
To begin with, study centres – mushrooming alongside
religious institutions where Muslim youth congregate in large numbers –
are holding seminars, lectures and workshops for disillusioned youth.
Those coming to these centres are informed about the Constitution, law,
human rights and how they can fight democratically if wronged. Moreover,
organisations like the All India Majlis Tamir-e-Millat have started
monitoring activities of young Muslim men and women and warning their
parents whenever they are found straying. Intellectuals like Prof Rehana
Sultana are involving young women and housewives, to sensitise them about
how the men in their family could get involved with the "wrong" people.
The introspection and the urgent need to prevent youth
from flirting with terror groups arose last year after blasts at the Mecca
Masjid, Lumbini Park and Gokul Chat House rocked the city. Though these
cases have not been cracked, the suspected involvement of locals forced
the community to look within. In fact, after the blasts in Bangalore and
Ahmedabad community leaders went about inquiring if any youngster was
missing.
"We want to ensure that our youth do not get involved in
terror activities. There are so many disillusioned youth who are nursing
radical thoughts or are sympathetic to terror elements. Through various
activities we are preventing them from going the wrong way," said Rahim
Qureshi, president of the Majlis Tamir-e-Millat. "At the study centres
discussions are initiated that are aimed at assuaging their feelings and
clearing misconceptions," added Qureshi, who is also general secretary of
the All India Muslim Personal Law Board.
The community was worried when some girls from a madrassa
shouted slogans seeking revenge outside a police station a few months ago.
"That really got us worried. We immediately contacted the madrassa, which
is run by Abdul Aleem Islahi, and told him to restrain and counsel the
girls," Qureshi said.
"We monitor youths, keep a watch on them during public
functions and move into action if we find youths getting friendly or
hobnobbing with strangers who’ve arrived in the city recently," said Abdul
Latif, a social activist from Mughalpura.
Muslim groups have also started organising seminars and
lectures, especially on terrorism and how the community should deal with
it. "Many find it surprising but we tell our youth that there are
democratic ways to seek justice if they have been wronged by the police or
the government," added Latif Mohammed Khan, secretary of the Civil
Liberties Monitoring Committee.
Khan said that he interacts with youth who are angry about
police atrocities, illegal detention, torture in police custody, and want
to avenge all that. "When they complain that they have been wronged we dig
out instances of people who have gone through similar circumstances and
dealt with it peacefully. We counsel them that they are not the only
victims," Khan added.
The oft-repeated example is that of Unani medicine student
Ibrahim Ali Junaid who was picked up for questioning after the Mecca
Masjid blast and allegedly tortured. "He is a perfect example of a youth
who was illegally confined by police without any evidence due to which he
lost one academic year and faced the stigma of being labelled a terrorist.
He was seething with anger and could have easily fallen prey to terror
groups looking for recruits. But we counselled him and provided emotional
and psychological support. On his behalf, we filed a petition against the
police and claimed damages," Khan said.
Community elders insist that landlords, neighbours,
shopkeepers, now report if they notice any suspicious activities in their
locality.
Rehana Sultana of the Maulana Azad National Urdu
University is organising group meetings and public programmes cautioning
and advising youth to stay away from terror groups. "We are not only
working on improving the image of the minority community but also making
efforts to transform the younger generation and keep them away from
getting involved with terrorism," she said. "Youths who are picked up by
the police as suspects require the maximum counselling. They are angry and
thus vulnerable. There are men whose spouses left them after they were
picked up by police. They are our target group," she said, adding that
women of the community are joining her eagerly in her efforts. n
