The threat of Islamic radicalization is no longer an abstract fear—it is a global menace staring humanity in the face. From Paris to Peshawar, from Mumbai to Minnesota, the pattern is unmistakable: almost every act of modern terror has roots in radical Islamist ideology. The time for political correctness is over. The world must confront this ideology head-on, and India, as one of its foremost targets, cannot afford to be complacent. In India, growing evidence of radical indoctrination under the garb of education and religion is deeply worrying. Recent revelations about Al Falah University in Haryana—now under the scanner of national security agencies—are a grim reminder of how Islamist institutions are turning into breeding grounds for extremism. Investigations have exposed how a network of clerics, radical preachers, and even professionals like doctors have been operating covertly to propagate extremist ideologies and recruit youth. Among the medical professionals tied to the recent Delhi Red Fort blast investigation were doctors attached to Al Falah University, arrested after explosives were recovered. It’s no longer a case of a few misguided individuals—it’s an organized ecosystem of indoctrination, funded and fuelled by foreign forces. Meanwhile, the work of India’s security agencies paints a chilling picture. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) recently carried out coordinated raids across eight states targeting ISIS-linked modules involved in IED fabrication, radical recruitment, and online jihad propaganda. In Gujarat, the Anti-Terrorism Squad arrested three terrorists from Ahmedabad in November 2025 who were linked to ISIS and planning attacks across India. In Tamil Nadu, the NIA arrested four men promoting armed jihad to establish an Islamic State. In Telangana, an ISIS operative was caught in Hyderabad’s Saidabad area, plotting multiple attacks. The Telangana High Court also upheld prosecution in the Popular Front of India (PFI) terror module case, reaffirming the seriousness of the threat. The list goes on: Al-Qaeda sympathizers held in Bengaluru, Hizb-ut-Tahrir cells dismantled in Rajasthan, and a so-called “Mujahideen Army” plot foiled in Uttar Pradesh. These are not isolated incidents—they are a nationwide web of radicalization.
The rot runs deep. For decades, successive Congress governments and their regional allies—RJD, SP, TMC, DMK, and the Communist parties (CPI and CPM)—allowed radical Islam to fester under the guise of “minority protection” and “secularism.” They built a political model that relied on appeasement, not assimilation. They turned a blind eye to hate sermons, illegal madrassas, and Saudi-funded NGOs in exchange for electoral dividends. This negligence has now matured into a national-security crisis. The consequences are stark. In Kashmir, Pakistan-sponsored outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad continue to find sympathizers. Across West Bengal, Kerala, and Uttar Pradesh, modules inspired by ISIS and Al-Qaeda have been unearthed. Even the Delhi terror attack, with its international links, shows that sleeper cells remain active and dangerously capable. Yet this isn’t just India’s problem—it’s a civilizational challenge. Whether it was the 9/11 attacks in the U.S., the Charlie Hebdo massacre in France, or the London Underground bombings, the perpetrators shared a common ideology of religious extremism. Europe today faces violent Islamist protests, no-go zones, and cultural ghettos where state authority is defied. The same radical playbook is being exported to Australia and Canada, testing liberal democracies that mistake tolerance for weakness. The uncomfortable question staring the world in the face is this: Why are almost all terrorists Muslims? Why do so many groups—from Al-Qaeda to ISIS, Boko Haram to Hamas—claim to act in the name of Islam? While most Muslims reject violence, the silence of Islamic clerics and community leaders on radicalization is deafening. The refusal to acknowledge the problem only strengthens the extremists. India’s security agencies have achieved remarkable breakthroughs—busting ISIS-inspired networks in Kerala and Telangana, neutralizing cross-border infiltrations in Kashmir, and exposing terror-funding routes from the Gulf. But these are tactical victories. The war against radicalization is ideological. It must be fought in classrooms, mosques, and online spaces where minds are being poisoned. The government must now act decisively. Every Muslim-run educational and religious institution must be audited for foreign funding, curriculum, and links to extremist groups. Those found promoting radicalism must be shut down and prosecuted. The NIA and Enforcement Directorate (ED) must be given greater autonomy and judicial protection to pursue terror-financing cases without interference. The judiciary, too, must introspect—its repeated questioning of security agencies and bail to accused sympathizers has often emboldened anti-national forces. Above all, the Modi government must shed any complacency. Having largely contained terrorism over the past decade, this new wave of Islamist resurgence demands renewed vigilance. Political parties that continue to shield radicals or use them as vote banks must be exposed and, if necessary, banned. National security cannot be sacrificed for electoral arithmetic. Islamic radicalization is not just India’s problem—it is humanity’s cancer. The world cannot keep pretending it’s a local infection. The ideological war must begin with truth, not denial. For too long, politicians have used religion as a shield for inaction. Now it’s time to wield national will as a weapon for survival.
