The NDA government is reportedly considering welcoming Indian jihadists, who ran away to join Islamic State in Iraq, with a "humanitarian approach" and work towards their deradicalisation, instead of putting them behind bars.
Though the National Investigation Agency has suggested that the youths (around 18 to 20) who are fighting alongside the ISIS should be put behind bars when they return to India, the Central Home Ministry is contemplating on getting them involved in deradicalisation programmes, instead of handing them punishments.
The ministry feels punishments would do harm to the youths and their families, who would fear to report to the police on their sons' arrival. They even suspect that the youths stuck in war-hit Iraq might not come back to their homeland if they face the threat of getting jailed.
"We are still trying to find an answer to the question: 'How will an FIR help us?' Legally speaking, these boys have done no wrong in India. Would it not be wiser to let them come in and keep them under observation and deradicalise them. May be they would be of more help then. The matter, however, is still under discussion," The Times of India quoted a senior home ministry official.
The parents, whose sons have been taken or willingly went to Iraq to join the ISIS, have reportedly approached the government, requesting it to hunt down and punish those who are manipulating and polluting the youths' mind with their concept of 'jihad'.
Earlier this year, some youths from Tamil Nadu had reportedly joined the ISIS in their fight for jihad. Also recently, the ISIS had reportedly released a video, alluring Indian youth to join the outfit, which is fighting to overtake the entire Muslim-dominated countries, and have been forcing people to convert to Islam.
