Date:20/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/20/stories/2008032055161300.htm

National

States not making best use of forces: Patil

Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil on Wednesday said the States were not making optimal use of forces and asked them to identify the trouble spots and take stringent action to prevent incidents like the one in Manipur where 14 Hindi-speaking workers were killed on Tuesday.

Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha during question hour, Mr. Patil said there was a design to create problems and divide the people in the name of religion, caste and on the basis on language. This was happening in various parts of the country.

“It is a very sorry state of affairs. The States should ensure that preventive action is taken at places where such incidents are anticipated. The States are not making the optimal use of forces to prevent such incidents,” he said.

Forces available with the States were not being used in the manner they should be.

Earlier, Brinda Karat (CPI-M) condemned the Manipur killings and sought to know from Mr. Patil whether the militants in the north-east were working under a unified command to target workers from other States.