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Manmohan moots task force to deal with terror

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday asked police personnel to avoid stereotypes that might wittingly, or unwittingly, enlarge the fault lines in society. “As the most visible symbol of our pluralistic democracy and national identity, you must create an image of the police as a fair and impartial entity. You will come under attack from those sections of society who are determined to undermine India’s liberal ethos, but this challenge has to be met, and met effectively,” he told the country’s top police officials at a conference here on terrorism.

Dr. Singh said a task force chaired by the National Security Adviser should come out with a road map within 100 days detailing steps to be taken immediately and over the next several months to evolve proper networked security architecture. The suggestion comes in the wake of the challenges being faced in tackling terrorism, naxalism and insurgency.

Dr. Singh also mooted the setting up of a standing committee of Directors-General of Police, comprising five State DGPs on a rotation basis, to advise the government on police and related legal matters. The Home Ministry too could devise a scheme to induct a certain number of executive-level police personnel in the Ministry.

Dr. Singh referred to the challenge before the police in restoring the faith of the people in the force, especially those belonging to religious and ethnic minorities and the weaker sections. Though most of the aspersions cast on the police could be motivated, the police must face up to the reality that many were convinced that the police were less than fair, though policemen died in the line of duty. Dr. Singh stressed that the police needed to win the trust of civil society. “Above all, you must carry conviction to one and all about your impartiality and honesty of purpose. This is fundamental if the police have to succeed in a functional democracy.”

Warning that “time is not on our side,” the Prime Minister cautioned that the state could not afford a repetition of the kind of terrorist attacks that recently took place in Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Surat and Guwahati. “Every time a terrorist attack takes place there is a public outcry over the failure of the government, accompanied by criticism of the police and the intelligence agencies. I am aware that many terrorist attacks have been prevented, thanks to the vigil of the police and intelligence agencies, but a single incident of reasonable magnitude causes repercussions, and calls into question the capability and capacity of the government and its various agencies.”

Though the poor police-public ratio and slow pace of modernisation were the main lacunae, Dr. Singh listed some areas where immediate improvement could be made.

The Prime Minister saw scope for effective connectivity between a policeman on duty and his headquarters through an effective and advanced communication system.

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