National

Patil outlines efforts to curb militancy

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 16. The Government today said it was examining the possibility of setting up a Unified Command of security forces in the insurgency-affected north-eastern region but was not enthused by the response of Bangladesh to India's security-related concerns.

"The response of Bangladesh has been positive but not very convincing. We are talking with them. We expect more positive response from Dhaka,'' the Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, told the Rajya Sabha. He was referring to the Government's concern over anti-India activities being carried out from that country's soil. India's concerns would be taken up during the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh's talks with the Bangladesh leadership when he visited Dhaka for the SAARC summit.

Replying to a marathon debate on the internal security situation, Mr. Patil outlined the United Progressive Alliance Government's efforts over the past six months in continuing with the peace process in Jammu and Kashmir, holding dialogue with the Naxal groups in Left-wing extremism-affected States as well as insurgent groups in the north-east.

On the move to set up a Unified Command for north-eastern States on the pattern of Jammu and Kashmir, he said: ``There are difficulties in it but we are trying to sort them out.''

Message to youth

Sending out a stern signal to those who did not want to participate in the dialogue process, Mr. Patil said the Centre had asked the States to carry out sustained police action where peace efforts did not materialise. Terming the youth who took to guns ``our own flesh and blood," Mr. Patil said the Government would like to deal with them as ``Kartha'' (head) of the family. ``We will punish the child, if the advice of the head of the family is not respected. It is our duty to bring back misguided, angry boys and girls back to the mainstream. We know the efficacy of dialogue. We followed this policy not only in Punjab where the Longowal accord was signed along with the use of some force but also in Mizoram. We are also continuing with talks in Nagaland,'' he said.

Dialogue with insurgents

While stressing upon the efficacy of the dialogue process, he rejected the claims of the Opposition that the Government was going soft on anti-national elements. As part of the stepped up anti-insurgency measures, Mr. Patil said the strength of paramilitary forces was being raised by another 209 battalions. He described the border fencing in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab as a ``great success'' to check infiltration, the Home Minister said the Government proposed to put up fencing along the 4,000-km India-Bangladesh border.

During the Home Minister's reply, members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Shiv Sena argued against the manner in which dialogue was being held with Naxal elements in Andhra Pradesh and other naxal-affected States. Balbir Punj (BJP) sought to know if the Government would hold a dialogue with extremist groups that had not given up arms and not reposed faith in India's constitution.

C. Ramachandraiah (TDP) alleged that the Congress had entered into a ``tacit understanding'' with the naxalites in Andhra Pradesh. ``Your party has colluded to eliminate my leader. If anybody speaks against naxal groups, he will be physically eliminated,'' he charged while raising a supplementary.

Mr. Patil said protection of the former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, was the responsibility of the State Government and added that the Government was also aware of it and his security would be stepped up.

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