Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday expressed satisfaction over the internal security situation in the country and said that the last 21 months have largely been terror-free.
Chidambaram however said, while inaugurating a conference of DGPs and IGPs in the national capital, that “there has been no let up in attempts by militants to infiltrate into India”.
The Home Minister also expressed concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation in Kashmir, where unabated violence has claimed 63 lives since June.
While assuring the people of Jammu & Kashmir that the government is keen on restoring their rights, Chidambaram admitted that the Centre had failed to prevent the vicious events in the state.
“Jammu and Kashmir has been caught in vicious circle of stone pelting, teargassing, firing and again stone pelting. Centre remains concerned that this vicious circle has not stopped,” the minister said.
“Centre acknowledges that a political solution acceptable to the people of Kashmir and all concerned must be found in order to bring back peace in the violence-hit state,” he stated further.
Shifting his focus to the Centre’s ongoing offensive against the Naxals, Chidambaram said, “The government is going to appoint more police personnel in order to strengthen the law and order machinery in the states most-affected by the Naxal menace.”
However, he lamented that the home-grown rebels have not responded to Centre’s offer for talks to resolve all issues.
“There has been no direct and credible response from the Naxals to the government's offer for talks,” the Home Minister said.
While referring to the recent disturbances in the country’s North East region, the Home Minster said, “ULFA will hopefully come forward for talks with the government.”
With growing incidents of Hindu radical organisation’s involvement in terror-related activities, Chidambaram also outlined that a new phenomenon of "saffron terrorism" has been discovered in the recent months.
"There is no let up in the attempts to radicalise young men and women in India. Besides, there is recently uncovered phenomenon of saffron terrorism that has been implicated in many bomb blasts of the past," he said.
First Published: Wednesday, August 25, 2010, 14:55