The Hindu : National : Manmohan: we will root out terrorism

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Friday, Nov 24, 2006
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Manmohan: we will root out terrorism

Vinay Kumar

Manmohan Singh

NEW DELHI: Inviting a resolute response from "civil society and all our political parties" to counter the challenge posed by terrorism, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday asserted his Government's determination to fight and root out terrorism and the "ideologies that justify and seek to sustain it."

He was addressing the annual all-India conference of the Directors-General and the Inspectors General of Police, organised by the Intelligence Bureau here.

"There are misguided elements at home and in our neighbourhood. Their ideologies negate all that our country stands for. Unfortunately, these groups have embraced violence as their creed and have committed themselves to use terror as a tool to weaken our policy and hamper our economic progress. The challenge of terrorism has to be countered comprehensively. No religion sanctions the killing of innocent citizens, including children and women," Dr. Singh said.

Asking security forces to remain alert and give a firm response to root out terrorism, he said that one of the objectives of terrorist groups was to disrupt communal harmony.

"However, we find that the people of our country have refused to fall prey to these nefarious designs. I commend every ordinary citizen who has refused to fall prey to such provocations. Wherever the police and security forces have handled such situations with sensitivity, they deserve our fullest appreciation. Our police and security establishment must remain steadfast in their commitment to preserve and protect communal peace and harmony," he told police and intelligence officials.

Warning that terror in India was no longer confined to Jammu and Kashmir, he said that attempts to take this threat to other parts to create fear in the minds of "our people are now in evidence in many parts of our country."

Such attempts, by and large, remained unsuccessful, he said. In Jammu and Kashmir, he said, to allow the political process to take the desired direction it was imperative that the level of violence be brought down significantly.

Dialogue option

Referring to the northeast situation, Dr. Singh said the option of conflict resolution through dialogue was pursued with all groups that showed willingness to abjure violence.

"While we are committed to the process of peaceful dialogue to resolve all outstanding problems, the Government will not countenance the deliberate use of violence against innocent citizens," he asserted.

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