S Phangnon Konyak
MP, Rajya Sabha (Nagaland)
There has or rather, there has never been a more evasive word in India than 'peace' itself. Some use it sparingly, some overuse it. For a country so used to terror attacks and degrading security situations, India has finally shed the tag of being an ‘at-risk’ country. As India witnessed Narendra Modi taking on the mantle of the PM, the country has remained largely peaceful and free from terror attacks. In this day and age when India's neighborhood seems to be cracking from within and falling apart, one can only appreciate the stability with which India is carrying and conducting itself. While there is no denying that today's India is a strong and secure India, it is only fair that we look into some of the steps undertaken by the Modi government to ensure all round peace across the country.
The Northeast Region, once infamous for being the hub of insurgency and for being conflict-ridden has come a long way since 2014. The region has undergone a sea of change in terms of peace and development due to concerted efforts of the central government with the Prime Minister himself personally keeping a close tab on the state of affairs. This augurs well for the region's future and overall stability. Going by official reports, insurgency in the Northeast has come down by 80% with civilian deaths having decreased by 89%. These are very reassuring figures indeed. Even more encouraging is the fact that a total of 6,000 militants from the region have surrendered since 2014. It clearly shows the impact the efforts of the central government have made under PM Modi's leadership. People of the region are now more in tune with peace than the unwanted sounds of guns, bombs and unpleasant sights of killings, which used to be a regular feature of the region. The Modi government has always accorded top priority to the Northeast which is why we're witnessing numerous positive steps towards realization of peace in the actual sense. Continuous efforts of the government led by PM Modi has led to improvement of the security situation in the Northeast as a result of which AFSPA is being done away with or removed from many parts of the Northeast. In the case of Meghalaya (2018) and Tripura (2015), AFSPA has been completely withdrawn. In the land of the rising sun, Arunachal Pradesh, AFSPA remains in force in only three districts and two police stations in one district. In Assam, 60% of the state is now free from AFSPA. Manipur has seen 15 police stations being taken out of the periphery of 'Disturbed Area'. Coming to Nagaland, the 'Disturbed Area' notification has been removed from 15 police stations in 7 districts. These are all positive steps in the right direction. Ensuring lasting peace in the Northeast and laying the path for meaningful development has been the key objective of the Modi government. In recent years, it has signed peace treaties/agreements with many insurgent groups such as the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) Agreement of August 2019, Bodo Accord of January 2020, Bru-Reang Agreement of January 2020 and the Karbi Anglong Agreement of September 2021. These have resulted in a more peaceful atmosphere with former militants now joining the mainstream. While we're at it, let's also not forget the historic Assam-Meghalaya Inter-State Boundary Agreement of March 2022. With this, a precedent has been set for resolving border disputes among the Northeastern states. The journey from here can only get better for the Northeast Region. People of the region are hopeful of lasting peace which will enable them to dream without fear.
The hallmark of the Modi government in implementation of its vision has been consistency. In this regard, it is not out of place to state that terrorism is being tackled most effectively by the government. The Modi government has a zero tolerance policy against terrorism. The surgical strikes of 2015 and 2016 and the Balakot Air Strikes of 2019 are testament to this fact. Various measures have also been undertaken such as strengthening the Armed Forces, cracking down on terror financing, making the UAPA law stronger, advocating a strong anti-terror policy at the global level as well as passing the NIA Act Amendment Bill which makes it a truly federal agency along the lines of the FBI in the USA. It is also noteworthy to mention that there has been a 168% reduction in terror incidents in Jammu & Kashmir. Besides, the Modi government has been proactively engaging at various levels with international law enforcement agencies to tackle not only terror but also organized crime. The need for a global united front has never been more urgent with India leading from the front.
In October 2022, the 90th Interpol General Assembly was held in Delhi in which PM Modi called on the international community to come together to defeat the menace of terror and emphasized that when threats are global, the response cannot be local. The meeting was attended by over 2000 overseas dignitaries including Ministers, Police Chiefs and Police Officers etc. The 3rd Ministerial Conference on Countering Financing of Terrorism – ‘No Money for Terror’ was also held in Delhi in November, 2022. The hosting of this Conference shows the importance accorded by the Modi government towards the immediate issue of international terrorism as well as its zero tolerance policy against this particular menace.
Last but not the least, Left Wing Extremism (LWE) incidents have come down by over 265% since 2015. A very encouraging sign indeed. The menace of red terror continues to be given due attention by the Modi government and it has been successful to a large extent in breaching and dismantling the red terror.
All in all, the security situation in the country has been hugely satisfactory, thanks to the relentless efforts of the Modi government. The country is now more peaceful than previous years under the successive UPA governments. There is confidence among the Indian public because of the reassurance provided by the Modi government. People appreciate stability and that is exactly what the government under PM Modi is able to deliver. While there are multiple challenges ahead and many pending issues remain unresolved, there is no denying the fact that the central government is going out of its way to listen and accommodate different viewpoints but without compromising on the national interest. This is a government that listens and that walks the talk. At one point of time, terror attacks, the sight of dead bodies and people filled with tears used to be an almost regular feature, but not anymore. A dawn of a new era has descended upon India. As New India comes into reality with the unwavering support of the masses, the future looks sunny with India set to play a major role in the fight for peace.
Jai Hind!
