Indians’ involvement in Islamic State unacceptable, Rajnath tells top cops

A day after the arrest of a Thane youth, who joined Islamic State militants in Syria, India's home minister Rajnath Singh made the usual political statements, saying he has told police chiefs across the country that India "can't remain unaffected by Islamic State activities" and was "concerned about youth wanting to join the terror group" which is most active in Iraq and Syria.

"India cannot remain unaffected by international terrorism, (and the) activities of Islamic State (of Iraq and Syria)," Singh told top state police officials at a national conference in Guwahati.

This was the first time that the conference of DGs was held outside New Delhi.

Ranjit Sinha, the embattled chief of the Central Bureau of Investigation, is also attended the conference along with the deputy director general of Police and inspector generals of police of all states and union territories, and chief of paramilitary forces.

The meeting is scheduled to be be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.

Hinting at the case of 24-year-old Arif Majeed from Kalyan town, who allegedly joined jihadists in Syria, the home minister said, "There are some misguided youth who are getting attracted to join organisations like the ISIS. We are concerned about the youngsters who are getting drawn to IS," he said.

He also said terror group Al-Qaeda's call for a jihad in India "cannot be taken lightly".

"We can't take Al-Qaeda's threat of turning India into an Islamic country lightly. We should consider it a challenge," he said.

But he said the government wouldn't allow terror organisations to set up base in the country. "There might be many terrorist organisations in the world but we will not allow them to get a foothold in our country."

He also praised police and the NIA on busting the Burdwan terror module, which had its links to a terrorist group in Bangladesh.

"A terrorist network has been busted in West Bengal. I congratulate West Bengal Police and the NIA who are playing an important role in exposing the network," he said.

The Home Minister targeted Pakistan's spy agency ISI over the terrorist attack in Arnia sector in Jammu in which over 12 people were killed.

"If non-state actors are involved in terrorist acts in India, then is ISI a non-state actor? It is the state actors who have a role in trying to destabilising our country. Pakistan has not abandoned its efforts to harm India through various tactics," he said.

"On the basis of the capability of the security forces, I can say that we are ready to face any kind of challenge," he added.