New Delhi, September 5
Despite protests from human rights groups against any move to grant “amnesty” to policemen violating human rights, Union Home Minister
L. K. Advani today said that suitable changes in the law were required to protect security personnel, acting without mala fide against terrorist elements, from being hounded out for extraneous reasons.
“There should be some provisions in the law .... so that no policeman who acted firmly and without mala fide against terrorist elements in the cause of his national duty, is hounded out for extraneous reasons,” Mr Advani said inaugurating the conference of chiefs of state police, intelligence agencies and central police organisations here.
The Home Minister said there were safeguards for securitymen during an open war in laws like the emergency provisions or the Disturbed Areas Act, but there were no safeguards for securitymen in an abnormal situation of proxy war.
“Discussions are underway between the Home Ministry and the Law Ministry for suitable provisions to be incorporated in the law to safeguard the interests of the security personnel risking their lives in such unprecedented operations,” Mr Advani said.
Clearing air about the word “amnesty” reportedly used by him at Jalandhar recently triggering widespread opposition by human rights activists, Mr Advani explained that he had never used the word but only said “if there is anything mala fide while they (securitymen) are doing their bona fide duties, that should be examined.”
Asking the media to show necessary understanding and restraint while reporting on disturbed areas, the Home Minister urged the central and state governments to create a congenial atmosphere enabling police and security forces to perform their duties without “fear and favour”.
Deviating from the prepared text, the Home Minister gave a broad spectrum of the overall security scenario and increasing role of security agencies and said the Centre was going to set up a multi-agency centre for counter-terrorism and joint task force on Intelligence, both under the umbrella of the Intelligence Bureau and comprising representatives of central and state police forces, for a coordinated onslaught on unlawful activities.
He said the police and the intelligence agencies need to be “operationally intertwined with the central agencies in order to give the much needed thrust and cohesion to our counter-action against terrorism having inter-state and trans-national dimensions”.
Stating that Islamabad had never
accepted it was sponsoring proxy war in India, Mr Advani while referring to his talks with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf during the Agra Summit said there was a “conviction” in that country that “some day, India will break up and Pakistan just needs to give it a thrust. That is why they have raised the level of proxy war now”.He said he had raised the issue of an extradition treaty between India and Pakistan with General Musharraf, but the Pakistani President, after initially accepting the proposal rejected it saying it was only a “tactical” move.
To this, Mr Advani said he had told General Musharraf that the treaty was meant for common criminals and “if you return Dawood Ibrahim to India, the people here will say this is a Pakistani leader whom we can trust”.
Asking leaders of the police and security agencies to make the police system “more responsive”, he said police stations were the “cutting edge” for image-building of the system. He sought constant monitoring of police functioning and suggested that police stations and constables should be awarded.
In his opening remarks, Intelligence Bureau Director K.P. Singh, who chaired the meeting, said while the security personnel “do not seek a general amnesty for violation of human rights, in genuine cases they need state protection against vexatious litigations”. Trends in forensic science, management of mega events like Kumbha Mela and coordinated responses to natural disasters are some other issues which will also be addressed at the conference. The conference will conclude on Friday.
