The Hindu : Front Page : `Threat to internal security contained'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 06, 2006

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`Threat to internal security contained'

Special Correspondent

Two-pronged strategy of development and vigilance pays dividends, says YSR

NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Tuesday asserted that the two-pronged strategy of development and vigilance pursued by his Government had resulted in containing threat to internal security both from Maoists and terrorist organisations like the Lashkar-e-Taiyyba (LeT).

Participating in the Chief Ministers' conference on internal security, Dr. Reddy said the law and order situation in the State was under control. He said Maoists posed the biggest challenge to law and order with the group's activities affecting 500 police station areas spread over 19 districts.

The Chief Minister said the Maoists had no public support and were engaging in hit-and-run tactics. He said that the Government had set up a Department for Remote and Interior Area development to speed up developmental activities in the areas that were usual recruitment grounds for extremists.

During the last two years, he said, 2.5 lakh acres of land had been distributed to the poor and the Government had undertaken an ambitious programme to bring additional land under irrigation. In order to promote employment opportunities for tribal youth, the State Government trained over 7,000 youths in various trades and of them, some 2,200 were employed. In addition, 3000 home guards were recruited from extremist- affected areas.

The Government also strengthened intelligence network and raised 2 India Reserve battalions.

The Chief Minister sought deployment of two battalions of Central paramilitary forces in the State to neutralise naxalites.

Claiming that the State's policy to rehabilitate surrendered extremists was successful, Dr. Reddy said during the last three years, over 8,000 Maoist cadres had surrendered and naxalite violence was under control with security forces gaining the upper hand.

ISI activities

Turing to Pak-ISI/ LeT-sponsored terrorist activities, the Chief Minister said his Government was extremely vigilant against the attempts of these agencies and as a result the State had maintained excellent communal harmony in the last two years.

State agencies unearthed eight modules of militant outfits and 87 persons had been arrested in the last three years.

The Government also increased allocation for minority welfare and scholarships substantially and was making sincere attempts to overcome legal hurdles to implement 5 per cent reservation for Muslims.

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