New Delhi, September 15: Home Minister P Chidambaram has said that post Mumbai attacks, Pakistan-based groups like Lashker-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed persist in their attempts to launch terror attacks in India posing “grave” challenge.
Home Minister P Chidambaram in strong words has slammed state governments for their handling of police.
He also expressed his anguish over arbitrary postings and transfers made by the State Governments as it has a demoralising effect on the performance of police personnel.
Inaugurating a three-day long conference of Directors General and Inspectors General of police organized by Intelligence Bureau, Chidambaram said cross border terrorism “is a matter of deep concern” and policing in India was always a challenge and after “26/11, the challenge has become more grave.”
Maoists seeking alliance with north-east insurgent groups: Chidambaram
In the conference Home Minister P Chidambaram also said that Maoists are seeking alliance with north-east insurgent groups.
The Home Minister said the country’s security faces many threats from sources like terrorism, Left Wing Extremism and insurgency in certain states.
On Left-Wing extremism, Chidambaram said it was purporting to be a radical form of communism.
“Today, various groups adhering to this outdated ideology have their pockets of influence in 20 states,” he said, adding the banned CPI (Maoist) remaining the most potent of the naxal groups with a presence in 17 states and a 90 per cent share in naxal violence.
In a bid to expand its network and influence, the Maoist have been seeking alliances with secessionist and terrorist elements in the country, the Home Minister said.
“It has been keenly seeking ideological resonance and tactical understanding withe the Northeast insurgents and has begun to lend support to their secessionist ideology and demands,” he said.
Chidambaram added that cross border terrorism “is a matter of deep concern” and policing in India was always a challenge and after “26/11, the challenge has become more grave.”
Post Mumbai attacks, Pakistan -based groups like Lashker-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed persist in their attempts to launch terror attacks in India posing “grave” challenge, Home Minister P Chidambaram warned today.
“Terrorist groups including LeT and JeM persist in their endeavour to launch terror attacks. They continue to innovate new ways and means of deniability. They find support among disgruntled elements within India,” Chidambaram said.
“Let me state our position clearly. On terrorism, our stance is zero tolerance. We shall raise our level of preparedness to fight any terror threat attack and, in the case of threat or attack, our response will be swift and decisive,” the Home Minister said.
He said the security agencies have neutralised 13 terror modules in the first six months of this year.
Describing 26/11 attacks as a “game-changer”, he said “We meet under circumstances that pose formidable challenges to the security of the nation. The attacks in Mumbai on November 26, last year were a game changer. We can no longer afford to business as usual,” he said.
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will have an interactive session with Directors General of Police and Inspectors General of Police on Tuesday during which he will be directly briefed on key policing and internal security issues.
The objectives of the conference are to provide an interactive platform to senior police professionals and security administrators in the country to freely discuss and debate diverse national security related issues, as also the various operational, infrastructural and welfare-related problems faced by police in the country.
—Agencies