Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Union Home Minister P Chaidambaram on Monday said that in spite of the fact that last terror attack was nine months ago, referring to 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, the gravity of the threats has not diminished.
Speaking at a press conference in the Chief Ministers’ meet, Chidambaram also stressed on the need of a better policing. “Some states have stressed on the need of mega city policing and desert policing, I thing there is merit in their argument,” Chidambaram said.
Stating that there was no substitute to putting people on the ground, Chidambaram said that total deficit in police force has come down from over 2 lakhs to the 1 lakh 50 thousand, indicating an improvement in situation. Recruitment of another 80,000 was in progress.
Chidambaram informed the media that the states have asked Centre to step in for recruitment and training as the states did not have adequate resources for training police forces. He indicated that Centre would step in ‘a big way’ to help out the states. The states had also demanded that the Centre should procure and distribute arms instead of giving money to the states.
Stressing the need for police reforms, the Home Minister said “No officer can be a leader unless he is secure about his tenure.” He said that he had urged the states to set up Police Establishment Board, and empower them to fix tenure and deal with other matters relating to the police force. He said that it would in no way lessen the power of the chief ministers but would rather empower them in communicating better. He also pitched for the setting up of district and state level grievance cells.
He also said that there was a great and urgent need to build roads in naxal infested area, but there was hardly any private contractor willing to do so. He said an effective instrument to do so would soon be found.
Making a veiled reference to the situation in West Bengal he said that in his earlier comment he said that it seemed some of the wings of the state seemed powerless in the face of Maoists militants. States would have to stand up and face the challenge, the minister said.
On fake currency notes he said that there was no need to panic. The number as given by the RBI was one in one lakhs. Bursting the nodal cells may disrupt the distribution fake notes but it has to be stopped from source, the Home Minster added.
He said it was known that the source was ‘across the border’ and was being smuggled via Nepal.
On being asked about terrorism, and the Prime Minister’s comment that in dealing with Pakistan, we must trust but verify, he said that it was a well considered and wise policy.
He himself was of the same view but said that India cannot afford to lower its guard. “Despite the fact that the last terrorist attack took place in November 2008, the gravity of the threat has in no way diminished,” he said.
There was a general threat in so far that there were groups planning attacks on India, but there was no specific imminent threat. But, the minister added, “we have to keep our powder dry.”
On GUJCOC, the Home Minister said that the Gujarat Chief Minister had made clear his views and he had made clear his views. He reiterated his earlier stand that he could not give his consent to a law that went contrary to the last will of Parliament expressed on that matter.
Expressing his disappointment at the response of the states he said that 12 issues had come up in the last chief ministers meet. They had been sent to the states in the form of a questionnaire. Only 10 states and two union territories had filled up that questionnaire. Even among those who had answered the questions, some of the questions had been left blank. He said that more progress should have been made between the two chief ministers’ meet.
