Within days of the terrorist attack in Delhi, Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh defended his government at the National Integration Council (NIC) meet, saying the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) had done everything possible to stop terror strikes. This was the NIC’s first meeting since October 2008.
During the monsoon session of Parliament, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), along with other opposition parties, had blamed the Union government of not being able to crack a single terror case after the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. They had also alleged that the government and the Congress Party were soft on terrorism.
The PM said violence could not be justified under any circumstances. He also expressed concerns on radicalisation of young men and women and said better employment opportunities could solve the problem. “We need to recognise members of the minority communities often have a perception of being unfairly targeted by law enforcement agencies after unfortunate incidents,” he said.
| MANMOHAN SPEAK *Terrorists seek to justify violence based on misplaced sense of ideology * There is a need to identify and address the causes of radicalisation of youth * Excessive use of force often proves to be counter-productive * Minority communities often feel targeted by law enforcement agencies * There is a need to continuously strengthen investigating agencies * NATGRID is being implemented and regional NSG hubs have been set up * Various pacts in Gorkhaland and Northeast India have helped bring peace * Interlocutors for Jammu and Kashmir and Northeast are exploring solutions * Security concerns have been raised with neighbouring countries * NIA has filed charge sheets in 20 of out the 29 cases |
Defending the formation of multi agency centre National Intelligence Grid and the probes into terrorist activities by the National Investigation Agency, Singh asked the home ministry and state governments to ensure investigating agencies were free from biases.
“In dealing with civil disturbances, we should keep in mind excessive use of force often proves counter-productive. We need to distinguish between criminal activities and misguided discontent that finds unlawful expression. It is with this intent that the home ministry has circulated instructions for dealing with crowds in a non-lethal manner,” the PM said. (States Debate Communal Bill)
“The biggest challenge is the use of violence as an instrument of protest or an instrument of change. Insurgency, militancy and terrorism threaten to unravel the idea of India,” said home minister P Chidambaram.
Miffed at the recent controversy over the appointment of a Lokayukta, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi chose to skip the meeting, while Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati, though absent, sent handwritten letters that were read by state ministers.
Expressing concerns over the draft Bill on communal violence, Nitish Kumar, in his letter, asked the Union government to hold discussions with the state governments and make amendments. Mayawati asked the Centre to first provide the draft of the communal violence bill and then ask for suggestions from state governments.
MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan asked the centre to have faith in state governments and said the communal violence Bill should be rejected. “If state governments are weakened to serve some vested interests, the nation will become weak and this would give impetus to parochial forces,” he said. J &K chief minister Omar Abdullah said, “Efforts are being made to manufacture exclusive community and religion-based identities, different from the rest of the society.”