India hogs global attention, but security concerns persist: Bhagwat (Lead, with Images)

RSS chief Mohan R. Bhagwat on Saturday said while India was at the focus of global attention for the first time in 70 years, internal and external security issues of different kinds were still a matter of concern.

Bhagwat made the remarks at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's traditional annual Dussehra Day rally here. Present were senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Lauding New Delhi's recent actions on the western border with Pakistan and northern border with China, Bhagwat said "the strong and determined stand" in resolving the Doklam crisis has catapulted India to new heights of diplomacy in the international arena.

Even in Jammu and Kashmir, the ruling BJP-PDP government is giving a "fitting reply" to infiltration by giving the security forces a free hand to do their duty, the RSS chief said.

"The provocative actions, propaganda and subversive activities of the separatist elements are being curbed by shutting off their illegal economic resources and exposing their links with anti-national forces."

Showing a red signal to granting asylum to Rohingya Muslims, Bhagwat warned they could pose a threat to the country's security and integrity and any decision on them must be taken keeping this aspect in mind.

The government has said it intends to deport 40,000 Rohingyas who have been living in the country for the past few years after fleeing religious persecution in Myanmar.

Urging the need for bringing all people of Jammu & Kashmir into the national mainstream, Bhagwat said "discriminatory provisions" have denied fundamental rights to the people there and the problems of its permanent residents who migrated from Pakistan-administered Kashmir in 1947 and those who got displaced in 1990 are at a status quo.

"We have to create conditions so that they can lead a happy, dignified and secure life like other Indians, availing equal democratic rights, even while remaining firm and devoted to their religions and national identity. For this, necessary Constitutional amendments will have to be made and old provisions will have to be changed," he urged.

Besides the border states where a dangerous game is being played by anti-national forces, he said the circumstances in Kerala and West Bengal are also not hidden from anybody.

"The state governments and their politicized administration systems are not only apathetic to this serious national crisis, but are also lending a helping hand to the anti-national forces for petty political interests," Bhagwat declared.

He hoped that the Centre, which is apprised of all these anti-national activities "must be taking necessary steps to foil these nefarious designs".

The RSS supremo also frowned at the growing incidents of people taking to the streets or resorting to violence for small reasons, thereby "showing insensitivity and disrespect towards duties, laws and Constitution".

He said the benefit of such situations is taken by the anti-social criminal elements and forces who want to disturb the faith, integrity and peace in society.

Bhagwat dwelt on the need to change the education system of the colonial period to make it more affordable, accessible to the remotest corners, free of all "isms" and based on knowledge of seeking truth, leading to national pride and strong values of character.

He assured that those who are genuinely into cow protection, including many Muslims, had nothing to fear and they could carry on their activities of running cow shelters (gau shalas), cow management, etc unhindered.

Bhagwat also stressed the need to encourage the rural economy, organic and cow-based farming, boost the informal sectors to generate more employment which in turn could ease the pressures on urban centres arising out of rural unemployed migration.

--IANS

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