M A I N   N E W S

Shinde cautions against threat to internal security in Punjab, J-K
Tribune News Service

The Jammu & Kashmir situation continues to be a challenge for us. This year, there has been an increase in targeted attacks on security forces. Around 50 personnel lost their lives in such attacks. Sushilkumar Shinde, union home minister

New Delhi, November 21
Threat to internal security, both from existing and emerging situations in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, came into focus today with Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde asking top police officers from across the country to remain alert against infiltration and the misuse of cyberspace to spew “pernicious propaganda”.

Shinde, who inaugurated the three-day conference of Directors General of Police, hinted at the emergence of a new trend in the misuse of cyberspace by some “self-radicalised groups” in Punjab. He said such elements were using the social media to propagate Khalistan ideology and target political leaders and the police.

“On the misuse of cyberspace, I would also like to draw your attention to the attempts being made to revive militancy in certain states by unleashing a distorted narrative about emotive events and issues on the Internet to misguide the youth,” he said.

Praising the Punjab Police for its alertness in countering such elements, Shinde said: “It had come to notice recently that some self-radicalised groups made attempts to vitiate the atmosphere in Punjab by targeting some leaders. We need to closely monitor such situations arising out of the pernicious propaganda circulating on certain websites.”

Over the past two months, the state police had busted two modules in Fatehgarh Sahib and Gurdaspur by arresting people for circulating mischievous material through the social media, including Facebook.

A senior Punjab Police officer told The Tribune that the state police wanted the Centre to ban the use of such platforms for propagating Khalistan ideology or targeting political leadership or police officers.

Turning to Jammu and Kashmir, he said infiltration by militants from across the border continued to be a challenge. He asked the security forces to maintain strict vigil, especially in view of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections due next year.

“The situation in Jammu & Kashmir continues to be a challenge for us. This year, there has been an increase in targeted attacks on the security forces. Around 50 personnel lost their lives in such attacks. The trend indicate a nefarious game plan hatched across the border to demoralise our security forces and demonstrate to the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the capabilities of militants remain undiminished,” he said.

Making a mention of the frequent ceasefire violations along the border, particularly in Poonch district of the Jammu region, Shinde praised the security forces for their response in such cases. The security forces neutralised several militant commanders, besides eliminating 35 terrorists along the LoC this year, he said.

He said: “The security forces, however, cannot afford to lower their guard, particularly in view of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections due next year. A fine balance needs to be maintained by them between firm handling of terrorism and adequate restraint in public order situations. This is important to limit civilian casualties and to deny space to separatist elements for fomenting further disturbance.”

The Union Home Minister also had a word of praise for the people of Jammu and Kashmir who remained undeterred by such threats from across the border. The huge voter turnout in the recent panchayat elections bore testimony to that, he said.

One of the spin-off benefits of peace in the state, he said, was an increase in economic activity and record arrival of domestic and international tourists.

He said the Centre was committed to the development of Jammu and Kashmir by focusing on infrastructure projects such as laying of a new rail line across the Pir Panjal range and vigorously pursuing employment-generation schemes like “Udaan” and “Himayat”.

What Shinde says Some ‘self-radicalised groups’ in Punjab have been using social media to propagate Khalistan ideology and target political leaders and the police In J&K, infiltration by militants from across the border continues to be a challenge Security forces need to maintain a strict vigil along the border in view of the upcoming elections Praise for Punjab cops Shinde praised the Punjab Police for foiling attempts to misuse cyberspace for reviving militancy by unleashing distorted narratives about emotive events Some groups, he said, tried to vitiate atmosphere in Punjab by targeting some important leaders and that there was a need to closely monitor such situations