Date:12/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/12/stories/2007041208230400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Security situation continues to be grave'

Staff Reporter

ISI posing serious threat to internal security, says Major General Sivasankar

BONHOMIE: (From left) Vatsala Vatsa, Principal Secretary (Home); P.B. Mahishi, Chief Secretary; M.P. Prakash, Home Minister; B. Sivasankar, General Officer Commanding, Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala Area; and Clement Samuel, Commander, Kar nataka and Kerala Sub Area, at the Civil Military Liaison Conference in Bangalore on Wednesday. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: Security continues to be grave as there are continued attempts to infiltrate through the line of control as well as the coastal region for terrorist activities in the hinterland deep into the south, Major General B. Sivasankar, General Officer Commanding, Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala Area, has said.

Speaking at the Civil Military Liaison Conference here on Wednesday, Major General Sivasankar said these were the inputs notwithstanding substantial improvement in interaction/communication with "our neighbours" on the western border.

"Willingness to discuss sensitive issues and all other confidence building measures are positive developments indeed," he said.

Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was posing grave threat to internal security.

The recent arrests of ISI operatives and recovery of large cache of arms, ammunition and explosives in southern States added credence to these fears.

Against this background there was need to keep a constant vigil on the developments in neighbouring countries, States and within Karnataka.

Major General Sivasankar said with the naxal violence in the north and central India likely to have repercussions in the South there was need to adopt proactive measures to prevent the growth and eradicate the menace.

The sudden spurt in terrorist activists in Assam was also a serious cause of concern.

On the sensitive issue of acquisition of Defence land by the Karnataka Government, Major General Sivasankar asked the Government to appreciate the difficulties of the Defence forces to surrender large tracts of land, especially where the Defence Ministry had not issued directions.

The Major General asked the State Government to play a major role in addressing the concerns of serving soldiers, armed forces veterans and their dependents over issues such as rehabilitation, education of children, property disputes and legal cases.

Home Minister M.P. Prakash said the State Government was duty bound to address the problems of the Defence forces, including the one about Defence land acquisition.

Any legal impediments coming in the way would be removed.