The ultra-conservative brand of ‘Wahabi’ Islam has lately managed to find more takers among the country’s Muslim community, thanks to the efforts of the Wahabi preachers who constitute a major chunk of the over 20,000 foreign Islamic preachers that descend on Indian shores every year to preach at huge congregations in the hinterland.
In fact, a quarter of the preachers hailing from at least 25 countries are from neighbouring Pakistan and they move about in Tablighi Jamaats, according to intelligence and police sources.
The Indian visa regime does not allow entry to Pakistani nationals if they do not have local sponsors and also bars entry to preachers of faith. Hence, all the scholars travel on a tourist visa. [The New Indian Express] Read more
