From Jaichand to Today’s Traitors: Why India Must Get Ruthless With Disloyal Citizens

Poonam Sharma 

India has borne the weight of treachery for centuries — from Jaichand’s betrayal of Prithviraj Chauhan to contemporary turncoats who work against the country from within. As much as history books used to softly put names such as Jaichand and Mir Jafar into a corner, these days’ social media has placed treachery in the spotlight — on Twitter, Instagram  where even  kids are caught shouting slogans in favor of enemy countries like Pakistan.

But let’s be frank: this is not solely India’s tragedy. Globally, countries are struggling with domestic dissent coalescing into perilous disloyalty. In America, a nation of immigrants, the pledge of loyalty is a brazen demarcation line — you’re either with the country or you give up the right to citizenship perks. The U.K. has also expelled foreign-born citizens involved in terror schemes. At the same time, India is still grappling with the issue:  how much tolerance is too much when national unity is at stake?

Disloyalty Goes Digital

Nowhere is this loyalty crisis more visible than in Jammu and Kashmir. Hundreds of social media accounts — from teenagers to adults — openly glorify Pakistan, lionize militants, and insult the Indian state. Intelligence agencies routinely flag these accounts, yet many remain active, their hate-filled content fueling local unrest.

A shocking survey taken by a Kashmiri NGO in 2023 revealed that about 30% of youth between the ages of 15-25 in some districts had given “soft support” to Pakistan or militant movements. That “soft support” might ring innocuous but, in this era of online radicalization, it is generally the precursor to active recruitment.

So, here’s the blazing question: what should the Indian state do when its citizens turn into its enemies’ cheerleaders?

Current Laws: Are They Sufficient?

India’s legal arsenal against anti-national activities consists of:
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) : Seeks to counter terrorism and secessionist activities.
Sedition (Section 124A of IPC) : Makes incitement against the state a criminal offense.
National Security Act (NSA) : Preventive detention to ensure protection of public order.

Citizenship Act, 1955 : Prescribes conditions for acquisition and loss of citizenship.

However, even with these instruments, we hardly ever witness model punishment that acts as a deterrent to future criminals. This is partly because of long trials, human rights issues, and political reluctance. Contrast this with America, where terror group supporters can **lose citizenship, get lifetime imprisonment, or even be executed in extreme situations.**

Deportation: A Policy Worth Considering
Let’s call a spade a spade:  if an individual residing in India openly swears allegiance to Pakistan, why should India continue to harbor, feed, and shelter them?

Denaturalization and deportation to Pakistan — or having them declared stateless if Pakistan won’t take them — is extreme but rational.

Legal minds can reason that international law makes it complex to deport a citizen to an enemy country. But India can learn from countries like Australia and the U.K., where terrorists of dual nationality are denaturalized and deported.
Even in the case of single-passport citizens, the state has options:
Issue such persons persona non grata. Place them under preventive detention.

Trace, block, and disable their network On Militancy, Softness is Suicide

For those “in bed with militants,” the regulations need to be even tighter. Encounters— while debatable — have proved to be a powerful measure in dismantling militant rings in Kashmir. The last four years witnessed a 30% decline in terror recruitment in the Valley, thanks in part to zero-tolerance operations.

The  destruction of terror-infested houses, a policy forcefully advocated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has registered psychological and financial effects on criminal syndicates. Implementing similar actions in militancy-hit areas sends a definitive message: sheltering enemies of the state will wreck your privilege, property, and liberty.

Citizenship Must Come With Conditions
India needs to introduce an  oath of citizenship system  as a matter of urgency for everyone , the American model for example, in which even native-born citizens swear allegiance again. Such an oath must be:
Compulsory at 18. Attached to voter identification and benefits from the state.

Tied to a well-defined  list of exclusions  — promotion of terror organizations, association with enemy states, or involvement in organized anti-national propaganda.

Besides, schools need to implement  civic loyalty education: patriotism not blind nationalism but devotion to the constitution of the country.

The Fine Line: Anti-Government vs. Anti-National

Critics usually argue: “Being anti-government is not anti-nationalism.” That’s true — democracies need dissent. But there’s a hard line between being critical of the government and actively taking the side of an enemy nation .

Raising pro-Pakistan slogans, celebrating the massacre of Indian troops, or glorifying terror attacks are not acts of dissent — they are acts of betrayal.

According to Ministry of Home Affairs statistics (2024), more than 700 social media handles were suspended in J&K alone  for anti-national activities.
Intelligence estimates  30-40 active overground worker networks  helping militants in the Valley.

Over  2,000 cases under UAPA  were awaiting trial across the country as of early 2025.

It’s Time for Ruthless Clarity

India is at a crossroads. With the world facing hybrid warfare and cyber-radicalization and state-backed subversion, soft approaches cannot be an option anymore.
It’s time to:
Remove citizenship from established traitors.
Repatriate or intern loyalty-switchers.
Smash militant networks at all costs.

Instruct loyalty as nation-building.

For a nation that is incapable of exacting loyalty from its own citizens will continue to pay the price — in blood, in dignity, and in survival.