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Taking on terror n
PM pats troops for bringing down violence in J&K.
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Says “motivated, well-trained” cops need of the hour.
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Tells DGPs to devise better strategies to combat Naxals.
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Warns the situation in North-East far from comfortable.
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Expresses concern over rise in infiltration attempts.
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New Delhi, September 15
Describing the Left wing extremism as the “gravest internal security threat” facing the nation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today admitted that not much success had been achieved in containing the Maoists and it was a matter of concern that despite efforts the level of violence continued to rise.
Addressing police chiefs on the second day of their three-day conclave here, the Prime Minister said Left wing extremism could not be treated simply as a law and order problem, but need to be tackled by the use of technology and some innovation.
Notably, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, too, had yesterday raised the same issue at the conclave, pointing out the presence of Maoists in over 220 districts in various states. The Maoists were responsible for 90 per cent of the violence in the country, which had claimed 580 lives this year alone, he had said.
Expressing concern over the increasing influence of Maoists, Singh said the rebels were still managing the support of a section of tribals and poorest of the poor in several areas. “It had influence among sizeable sections of civil society, the intelligentsia and the youth,” he said.
While exhorting the assembled DGPs to devise newer and better strategies to combat the Naxals, the Prime Minister appreciated the troops for bringing down the violence in Jammu and Kashmir to its lowest level post the beginning of insurgency in late 1980s.
Listing other problems that faced India, Singh said a serious rise had been witnessed in infiltration attempts across the Line of Control and via routes such as Nepal, Bangladesh and the sea. He said encounters with armed militants had become more frequent in recent months.
Pointing out to the “changed scenario” in J&K, the Prime Minister said militant groups within the state were again attempting to make a common cause with outside elements and had embarked upon a series of protest movements. The intention, said he, was to create an impression of widespread turmoil in the state.
And the situation in north-eastern parts of the country, the Prime Minister warned, was far from comfortable. Telling the police chiefs of the seven North-Eastern states to achieve higher level of professionalism from the forces they commanded, Singh said the need of the hour was a “new-age policeman” who was “motivated and well-trained”.
