Manmohan’s Concern on NE Extortion
PM pulls up NE leadership:
New Delhi, Dec 20: Raising an alarm over unabated extortions in the North-East, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh exhorted the region’s political leadership to buck up and curb militancy to ensure that the people feel safe.
In his hard-hitting speech on militancy in the North-East, Dr Singh minced no words when he said, “We need much better leadership at all levels so that militancy is curbed and people feel secure.”
“Extortion seems to be a frequent occurrence (in North-East). We need to put an end to this. We need to enforce the rule of law and create a respect for the state apparatus. National considerations and requirements should take overriding priority,” the Prime Minister said, addressing a meeting of the Chief Ministers on Internal Security, convened by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The meeting attended by Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, top officials of the Ministry, intelligence agencies among others was held under unprecedented tight security and even the media was kept out of the main Vigyan Bhavan premises. The deliberation at the meeting was kept under tight wraps.
The Home Minister has convened the meeting on direction of the Prime Minister following a spate of bomb blasts all-over the country and rising naxal violence.
Conceding that the problems of the North Eastern states and Jammu and Kashmir were unique, Dr Singh observed that they suffer from poor infrastructure and communication facilities. “It has been our sincere attempt to improve these facilities so that these states too can benefit from our booming economy,” he said.
But, these States have vulnerabilities on the internal security front which we need to address. Each State has its specific nuances and characteristics and we cannot generalize the problems, he further opined.
The Prime Minister said there are many regional and tribal demands, which needed to be addressed systematically. “If not done so, they can lead to dissatisfaction and law and order problems,” he cautioned, indirectly referring to the recent trouble involving the Adivasis in Assam.
While there has been an improvement in the overall situation in all the North Eastern, Manipur and Nagaland appear particularly vulnerable, he said.
Emphasising the need for a secure environment, the Prime Minister said there were regions, where the absence of a peaceful, secure environment has become a major hurdle in improving their prevailing economic conditions.
“State agencies find it difficult to run schools, healthcare services and PDS systems. Construction of essential infrastructure like roads, railways, electricity lines, telecom lines, irrigation systems and drinking water facilities is slowed down or stopped because of inadequate security,” he said.
In Assam, work on several projects including the vital gauge conversion project linking Lumding with Silchar, has slowed down after militants gunned down 11 railwaymen.
“Such an atmosphere then is certainly not conducive to investment or rapid economic development,” the Prime Minister argued.
The Prime Minister emphasised that there were no easy solutions to the internal security challenges, the country is facing. “They cannot be seen only through the prism of law and order nor can they be solved through a pure policing approach,” he observed.
“The internal security challenges we face need personal attention and leadership. It is only then can they be addressed in a coordinated and comprehensive manner, he said.
Earlier, the Home Minister gave an over view of the internal security situation in the country, high-lighting the threats faced by the States, ranging from militancy in the North-East and Jammu and Kashmir to Naxal violence.
Posted On: The Assam Tribune
Related Story:
New Delhi, Dec 20: Raising an alarm over unabated extortions in the North-East, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh exhorted the region’s political leadership to buck up and curb militancy to ensure that the people feel safe.
In his hard-hitting speech on militancy in the North-East, Dr Singh minced no words when he said, “We need much better leadership at all levels so that militancy is curbed and people feel secure.”
“Extortion seems to be a frequent occurrence (in North-East). We need to put an end to this. We need to enforce the rule of law and create a respect for the state apparatus. National considerations and requirements should take overriding priority,” the Prime Minister said, addressing a meeting of the Chief Ministers on Internal Security, convened by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The meeting attended by Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, top officials of the Ministry, intelligence agencies among others was held under unprecedented tight security and even the media was kept out of the main Vigyan Bhavan premises. The deliberation at the meeting was kept under tight wraps.
The Home Minister has convened the meeting on direction of the Prime Minister following a spate of bomb blasts all-over the country and rising naxal violence.
Conceding that the problems of the North Eastern states and Jammu and Kashmir were unique, Dr Singh observed that they suffer from poor infrastructure and communication facilities. “It has been our sincere attempt to improve these facilities so that these states too can benefit from our booming economy,” he said.
But, these States have vulnerabilities on the internal security front which we need to address. Each State has its specific nuances and characteristics and we cannot generalize the problems, he further opined.
The Prime Minister said there are many regional and tribal demands, which needed to be addressed systematically. “If not done so, they can lead to dissatisfaction and law and order problems,” he cautioned, indirectly referring to the recent trouble involving the Adivasis in Assam.
While there has been an improvement in the overall situation in all the North Eastern, Manipur and Nagaland appear particularly vulnerable, he said.
Emphasising the need for a secure environment, the Prime Minister said there were regions, where the absence of a peaceful, secure environment has become a major hurdle in improving their prevailing economic conditions.
“State agencies find it difficult to run schools, healthcare services and PDS systems. Construction of essential infrastructure like roads, railways, electricity lines, telecom lines, irrigation systems and drinking water facilities is slowed down or stopped because of inadequate security,” he said.
In Assam, work on several projects including the vital gauge conversion project linking Lumding with Silchar, has slowed down after militants gunned down 11 railwaymen.
“Such an atmosphere then is certainly not conducive to investment or rapid economic development,” the Prime Minister argued.
The Prime Minister emphasised that there were no easy solutions to the internal security challenges, the country is facing. “They cannot be seen only through the prism of law and order nor can they be solved through a pure policing approach,” he observed.
“The internal security challenges we face need personal attention and leadership. It is only then can they be addressed in a coordinated and comprehensive manner, he said.
Earlier, the Home Minister gave an over view of the internal security situation in the country, high-lighting the threats faced by the States, ranging from militancy in the North-East and Jammu and Kashmir to Naxal violence.
Posted On: The Assam Tribune
Related Story: