Virbhadra for sensitising police to prevent communal violence

Also advocates use of modern technology to educate and motivate youth

Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today asked law enforcement agencies to sensitise police to take effective action to prevent communal violence.

Addressing the National Integration Council meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he also advocated the use of modern technology to educate and motivate youth to avoid them from falling in the hands of communal forces.

He stressed on the need to protect and preserve pluralist tradition and multicultural fabric of society by actively countering the dangerous attempts to communalise the society and polity.

"Stop communalisation of national institutions like education, history and the polity of the nation," he said, adding that measures should be taken to promote harmony and national integration.

Singh also sought stringent action against those who incite and indulge in "fissiparous acts".

Introspecting the reasons for "divisive and disruptive episodes" witnessed in different parts of the country, he said, "We probably need to pay greater attention to understanding these aspirations of our people and frame policies that will help achieve them... Make use of all our resources to help our people achieve their aspirations."

Listing out measures that could be taken to promote harmony, he said, "Make use of modern technology to not only safeguard against anti-nationals but also use it effectively to reach out to the youth to educate and motivate them."

He said steps should be taken to wean away the youth of the country from falling victims to communalisation and violence and asked the law enforcement agencies to sensitise and motivate the police to take effective and prompt action to prevent and contain communal violence.