Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 17
The Prime minister of India has strongly implied that the NE states Assam, Manipur and Nagaland need to pull up their internal security. The prime minister of India did not make direct references to a particular state but considering increased Islamic terrorist activities and “infiltration,” he is not too happy that “some of the states” in the North-East – Nagaland among them – are not ‘emphasizing’ on “pro-active State police forces.”
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the Chief Ministers’ Conference on Internal Security in New Delhi today. Speaking at the occasion, the prime minister called for a coordinated response by the centre and the states on issues pertaining to internal security.
The prime minister told the chief ministers that the North East has seen an “overall improvement” but the situation “in some states” particularly in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland, remains problematic and worrisome. There is a need for more emphasis on pro-active state police forces rather than exclusive reliance on the central paramilitary forces and army, Dr. Manmohan Singh said. “The resources for policing need to be enhanced substantially,” he added.
He referred to hotspots such as Jammu & Kashmir and “some of the states” in the North-East and said there are “some disturbing trends on the horizon.” The prime minister mentioned Assam and Manipur accounting for a disproportionately large number of violent incidents reported from the North East, with the latter’s “share” being as high as 30%.
Also, the prime minister said the level of infiltration ‘which had come down very substantially’ have seen a surge this year, alongside an increase in attempts at infiltration. “The infiltrators appear more battle-hardened, better equipped, and in possession of sophisticated communications,” the PM said. Dr. Singh however did not specify who the “infiltrators” were.
He said cross-border terrorism remains a most pervasive threat. While additional measures have been set in place after the Mumbai terrorist attack in November last year, Dr. Singh said there is need for continued vigilance nonetheless. “There is credible information of ongoing plans of terrorist groups in Pakistan to carry out fresh attacks. The area of operation of these terrorists today extends far beyond the confines of Jammu & Kashmir and covers all parts of our country,” he said.
In dealing with the terrorist challenges, he said, preparedness is needed in urgency to encounter more sophisticated technologies and enhanced capabilities. Dr. Manmohan Singh said internal security requires coordinated response by the centre and the states acting in cohesion. “The importance of this cannot be over-emphasized. A piece meal approach will simply not work given the nature of challenges we face. Not only do we need more information sharing, we also need synchronized action. Let me assure all the states that the centre will not be found wanting in this regard,” Dr. Singh said.
He assured to assist the states in all possible ways in dealing with the challenges of internal security. We will also do our utmost in facilitating inter-state coordination. I would urge states to take more initiative for coordinating action with other states. “The many serious challenges to our internal security call for careful deliberation and sincere action,” Dr. Singh said with the hope that a broad-based consensus would be built on what needs to be done in many crucial areas of internal security.
Dr. Singh also had a sobering note for states that might want funds: “I do recognize that States often face constraints of resources. But ultimately we must all bear the burden of our shared sense of responsibility. It must also be recognized that there are limits to what the Central Government can provide.” He hoped that “the expectations of the states from the Centre would be guided by a consciousness of their own obligations” as well as a sense of practical realism.
