Deradicalisation of youth in J&K need of the hour; religious leaders commit to peace

In an effort to curb radicalization in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, members of J&K Nationalist's People Front organized a landmark confluence of prominent Islamic leaders in the valley. The meeting, which was held this week, was attended by Muftis, Maulavis and Khatibs at Gujjar Charitable Trust hall Channi Himmat Bye Pass Jammu.

All the Islamic leaders expressed solidarity in condemning radicalisation and raised a collective voice for peace. The conference was inaugurated by J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, who expressed the need to deradicalise with the help of technology.

"While we have controlled radicalization with all of your collective efforts, it still needs attention because of the pace at which it is spreading with the help of technology," Manoj Sinha said, "It will be a mistake to associate it with a community. If we look at it like drug addiction then we can follow the right direction, in my opinion."

"This program has been organized in view of national integrity, to bring collective energies of the citizens together, to self-introspect and to take citizens in the right direction, and I appreciate this effort," he added.

Preaching peace in the Valley

Sinha encouraged prominent religious leaders, including like Abdul Salam, Maqbool Shervani, Salim Malik, Israr Ahmed to preach chapters of peace and harmony in school and Madrasas.

The conference, organised by J&K Nationalist's People Front, was inspired by The Art of Living and its spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, said the members.

"We all have the responsibility of bringing peace to every nook and corner of the world. Unless every member of our global family is peaceful, our peace is incomplete," Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was quoted as saying.

The conference was attended by several prominent Islamic leaders, including Molana Kousar Jafri, Mufti Molana Aajaz, Molvi Muzaffar, Mufti Shakeel, Mufti Shair u Din, Mufti Mustufa Raza Quadri, Mufti Quazi Abdul Rahman, Mufti Molana Farooq, Molana Hafiz Mubasher, Molana kari Shabir Owasi, Mufti Farooq Hussain, Mufti Dr. Ibraheem, Molana Mufti Aslam, Syed Mufti Basharat, and Molana Aliyas Sakafi. Several Kashmiri pandits were also in attendance. The religious leaders spoke on the unfortunate exodus and the need to move ahead together and bridge the trust deficit.

"The voice for peace has risen from this platform and we want to send this message to all of Kashmir, across the border and this world that we are brothers and we will coexist peacefully like this together," said Sheikh Mujjaffar, President, Jammu and Kashmir Nationalist People's Front. Youth leaders of Jammu also joined in the conference. The discussion included the measures to bridge the divide in Jammu region and the Kashmir Valley.