The Turkish government has sought a crackdown on Indian activities of FETO, the network of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen blamed for the failed July 15 military coup in Turkey.
Turkish Minister for Development Lutfi Elvan discussed the issue with India's Home Minister Rajnath Singh during his Delhi visit last week.
Elvan said the Gulen group, described as Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO) in Turkey, has a presence in key Indian cities, including New Delhi, Kolkata and Hyderabad, and runs schools and non-governmental organisations.
"We discussed preventives measures to be taken against them. They are a threat not only to Turkey but also to India," Elvan told reporters.
He said the Indian government has pledged to take steps against the group's activities.
Having thwarted the coup, orchestrated by FETO members and their collaborators both inside Turkey and abroad, the Turkish government has launched a campaign against Gulen's network.
The network operates a number of schools and NGOs, including in the United States, Germany, Pakistan, Nigeria, India, Bangladesh and Kazakhstan.
Elvan said the group has used its public activities to infiltrate key government institutions to serve its secretive agenda.
Some countries have transferred the administration of Gulenist schools to the Maarif Foundation of Turkey in order to address the Turkish government's concerns about FETO.
Although Turkish government officials have been circumspect about criticising Western governments over FETO, influential Turkish media figures have been outspoken in pointing out that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) uses the Gulenist network.
They accuse the US and some of its NATO partners of being part of the bloody coup plot, designed to sow chaos inside Turkey and the wider Middle East region.
Gulen, a Turkish citizen, has been living in self-imposed exile since 1999 in a commune-style complex in Pennsylvania. Ankara has sought his extradition from the US over his alleged role in the coup.
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