To Deal With Radicalised Youth, Centre Proposes The ‘Singapore Model’ With Reduced Sentences 

After appeals by Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and a few others states to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to help them counter home-grown radicalism, the Centre has proposed the ‘Singapore Model’ to deal with the same, Times Now has reported.

The model, which entails better community involvement with tougher laws and reduced sentences to rehabilitate the misguided youth. Instead of going through long criminal trails the model instead involves a religious rehabilitation mechanism with the help of popular community leaders.

"There is a need to develop a standard operative procedure (SOP) to deal with radical material and websites along with three-pronged counselling system involving the family, clergy and professionals", read the note sent out by the MHA to the states seeking their inputs on the proposal.

The Centre has also proposed “a dedicated ministry for the dissemination of effective counter-narratives”, to counter the anti-India propaganda being circulated, with help from the states. The states have been asked to keep track of foreign donations of groups adhering to Wahabi-Salafi ideology.

Highlighting the importance of countering radical propaganda, a senior UP government official said, "There is a need for eminent Muslim religious leaders to come forward with credible counter-narratives and alternate narratives."

Self-radicalised youth are slowly emerging into the biggest threats to national security as they’re very difficult to identify and rehabilitate, necessitating the need for a SOP to deal with the menace of radicalisation.