'A Dedicated Trained Force At The Centre'

PM’S closing remarks at the Chief Ministers' Conference on InternalSecurity

We have come to the end of a long and rewarding discussion. My colleague, theUnion Home Minister has summed up the proceedings in a detailed manner.

The purpose of Conferences such as this one is two-fold. One purpose is to gointo the details of specific problems pertaining to each state, to promoteknowledge and information sharing between states so that we can learn from eachother and to develop common approaches to tackling shared problems. The other,and probably the more important purpose is to generate the necessary politicalconsensus among the top­ leadership of the Centre and States so that we standunited in our efforts to enforcing the rule of law, fighting terrorism andnaxalism and maintaining public order. Conferences of this nature serve to senda strong message that the political leadership of the country can rise above ourpolitical and party affiliations when it comes to facing national challenges,particularly those concerning Internal Security.

We are all duty bound to uphold the values in our Constitution and to providea safe and secure environment for our citizens. This is an essential obligationand I am reassured after hearing all of you today that we take this obligationin full seriousness.

The opinions expressed in this room today have been varied and reflect thelocal realities in this vast country. I am happy that there is general agreementon the approach to tackle the problem of naxalism. Chief Ministers of statesaffected by this problem have been unanimous in their resolve to fight thismenace. A wide range of alternative strategies have been suggested All of themare of value and I am confident that the Home Ministry will discuss these ideasfurther with each of you.

I believe that given the unique nature of this problem, it is time to have adedicated force just to tackle naxalism. Affected states must set up SpecialTask Forces on the Andhra Pradesh pattern and the Centre will provide assistancefor this purpose. I would urge the Home Ministry to also consider establishing adedicated trained force at the Centre, either as part of an existing force or asa separate one. Such a trained and dedicated force would go a long way inassisting States tackle naxalite groups.

Naxalite groups feed on the perceived lack of development. Correcting thisrequires a lot of effort. It requires motivated government personnel to work inaffected areas, improved road and rail connectivity and better delivery of basicservices. I will ask the Cabinet Secretary to chair a Task Force to promotecoordinated efforts across a range of development and security activities sothat we can tackle the naxal problem in a comprehensive manner.

Terrorism continues to be a major concern. It is incumbent on all of us to beever alert to this persistent threat which cannot be easily wished away. Facingthis problem will require patience, alertness, constant vigil, coordinationbetween agencies, cooperation of common citizens and most importantly, highlevel intelligence gathering capabilities. Each state must enhance its abilityto counter terror threats and if this involves incurring costs, we will helpthem. Every possible step must be taken to free our citizens from the shadow ofterror.

Very often. terrorist acts are designed to promote communal discord. It isimportant that all of us should be alert to this danger. I draw satisfactionfrom the fact that the Indian people have not allowed terrorist acts to disturbcommunal harmony. However, we must remain ever alert and deal firmly with theseelements who seek to fan communal tensions and strife. Our strategy for internalsecurity must also make effective provisions to curb and control violenceagainst scheduled castes and weaker sections of society.

We have discussed a large number of other security concerns, including thosearising out of ethnic tensions and some forms of militancy. There is no singlecause for any of these concerns and there is no unique solution. Some areas suchas hill states have unique connectivity problems. The North East has problemsrelated to ethnic diversity and poor connectivity. Some areas suffer from lackof development. In others it is not development but disaffection among somegroups which is a cause for concern. We need to address these concerns collectively.Yesterday, in the National Development Council, I announced the setting up of aTask Force to study the specific problems of Hill states, including those in theNorth East. Hopefully, this will lead to an improvement in the economic andsecurity situation in these states.

Many states have emphasized the need for better trained security forces. I amhappy that the Home Ministry will consider setting up a specialized trainingfacility for training police trainers from across the country. This facilitywill be a mother institution for improving the training capabilities of statepolice forces. This would be a step forward.

Many other suggestions have been made. I believe that the Home Ministry willtake on board all your views and work with you to identify common approaches totackling internal security problems.

In conclusion I thank you all once again for participating in thisconference. I believe that we are all firm in our resolve to fighting allextremist and terrorist activities and to providing our citizens a safe andsecure environment. With this, I bring this conference to a conclusion.