Nashik case sparks nationwide probe into radicalisation modules, PFI’s vision under scrutiny

Radicalisation has become one of the biggest threats facing India The agencies warn that radicalisation camps can come up at unassuming locations as they largely remain off the radar The TCS case is one such example where the police found that professional seniority was used as a leverage to allegedly radicalise and also convert vulnerable junior employees between 2021 and 2026While the probe is ongoing the agencies are set to look into a larger pattern More such modules may be in the works in various other places and firms and the agencies will study the patterns and possible links to the Nashik case an official saidAnother official said that it is becoming increasingly clear that the larger design is to set up more such radicalisation centres The focus is more on radicalisation and changing the mindset of society rather than going in for conventional terror attacksOutfits such as the Popular Front of India PFI Islamic State and AlQaeda have long focused largely on radicalisation The PFI before its ban had set up several radicalisation camps and centres with the intention of changing the way people thinkIn the Nashik case the modus operandi resembles the Popular Front of Indiarsquos Vision 2047 document titled ldquoIndia 2047 Towards Rule of Islam in India This document speaks about increasing radicalisation drives The focus is largely on radicalisation rather than attacksThe vision of the PFI was to have a radicalised Islamic state by 2047 The outfit was however banned by the Narendra Modi government in 2022 The TCS radicalisation case busted by the Nashik Police will be probed by the central agencies such as the National Investigation Agency NIA which would look into the wider ramifications of this caseOfficials say that the agencies would probe to find out if this is an isolated case or if there are many such whitecollar modules in other parts of the country The possible role of the PFI will also be probed indepth the official saidThe outfit has been accused by the NIA of promoting radicalisation by trapping Hindu women In the Nashik case the police have accused IT engineers and an HR manager of attempting to radicalise and forcibly convert Hindu women employees and gain ideological control over them The accused are team leaders Tausif Attar Danish Sheikh Asif Ansari Shafi Sheikh and HRrsquos Nida Khan Nida Khan who has been accused of allegedly facilitating and introducing the victims to the accused team leaders is currently abscondingInvestigating officials say that she would be able to provide more details which may eventually lead to other similar networks the official also said Another official said that the agencies would examine the similarities between the modus operandi in the Nashik case and what the PFIrsquos vision document statesAccording to the document the goal is to establish Islamic rule in India by 20247 which marks Indiarsquos 100th year of independence The document outlines a fourstage programme involving recruitment training in martial arts and also creating communal tensions across the countryFurther the PFI has also spoken about creating specialised radicalisation cells within the IT sector Officials say that the plan was to target all sections of society It wanted the educated class to be part of this programme so that the ideology could reach a wider audience The uneducated or less educated were the ones to be used on the streets to incite and carry out violent actsThe PFI kickstarted operations in Kerala but managed to spread far and wide to different parts of the country including the northeastern states Although the PFI has been banned the agencies say that there are many out in the open and continue to spread its socalled visionPost the ban the Intelligence agencies had warned that many who were part of the outfit and had not come under the radar of the investigating agencies could push the PFIrsquos agenda in a hushhush mannerThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever