Follow Majid Khan, Meghalaya CM to errant youth

The story of young Kashmiri footballer Majid Khan, who had signed up to join the terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) but returned after listening to his mother’s message, has enthused governments and media of the northeastern states of the country.

Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura are infested with two dozen militant outfits, demanding either secession or greater autonomy to their little tribal belts. What connects the region with the young Kashmiri footballer is that football is a way of life in the region, more particularly in Meghalaya.  

Using Khan’s decision to renounce terrorism, Chief Minister of Meghalaya Mukul Sangma urged militants to queue up and avail of the rehabilitation package offered by his government. “We have said the government has come up with a programme where we provide an enabling environment for anybody to withdraw from their organizations and assimilate with the national mainstream,” he said.  

Veteran journalist and editor of Meghalaya Times, Thomas Lim, believes Majid has become the poster boy for bringing back all the misguided youth.