Other States - Punjab   

Badal for a national policy to combat terrorism

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has advised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to convene a conference of Chief Ministers of all States to arrive at a consensus in framing a national policy to effectively combat terrorism and violence across the country.

Mr. Badal said that on various occasions he had apprised the Prime Minister of his views on the issue and now the time had come to take some steps to reassure the people. He emphasised that the issue of combating terrorism must be taken on a priority as any further delay could prove disastrous.

Mr. Badal refused to accept that the recent terrorist incidents in Bangalore and Ahmedabad indicated that the problem was limited to BJP-ruled States only.

He said that instead on indulging in the blame game the need of the hour was to stand up united against the forces of terror.

Rejecting the proposal for setting up a Central agency to combat the scourge of terrorism, Mr. Badal said that more powers should be given instead to the States. Over-centralisation had also contributed to making issues more complex and causing delay in the decision-making as well as implementation procedures.

Mr. Badal said the Shiromani Akali Dal had always been a votary for more powers to the States, but unfortunately its articulations were always viewed with suspicion. Had a true federal structure been set up as envisaged by the founding fathers of the Constitution, the country would not have had to face the prevailing perilous situation, he observed.

Mr. Badal said that terrorism in Punjab was borne out of continued injustices by the Union Government towards the State. He was of the opinion that naxalite violence grew due to gross disparity in development and lax justice delivery systems, especially in the affected areas. He warned that if discrimination against Punjab continued the situation in the State could deteriorate back to the “dark days”.

Mr. Badal dismissed all talk about possible hostility from Dr. Manmohan Singh as the Akalis had voted against his government.

Reiterating that personally he as well as most other Akali leaders held Dr. Singh in high esteem for his wisdom and clean image, he quipped, “ Unfortunately, he is in the Congress, which is our enemy No.1, and we cannot compromise on that.”

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Badal for a national policy to combat terrorism
Heavy rain in Punjab, Haryana
Two labourers buried alive

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu