Terror strikes are assaults on all values of the country: Prez

New Delhi, Feb 12 (PTI) Noting that there was greater
appreciation in the international community of the threat that
exists to the region and the world from the terror emanating
from Pakistan, the Indian Government Thursday said it would
protect the people of the country from such acts of violence.

In her customary address to the joint sitting of
Parliament, Indian President Pratibha Patil termed the terror
attack on Mumbai as an attempt to retard the country's
economic progress and said this and terrorist incidents in
various cities were assaults on all the values of the country.

"There is greater appreciation in the international
community of the threat that exists to the region and the
world from the terrorism emanating from Pakistan," she said.

The President said the nation faced multiple internal
security challenges and the country witnessed terrorist
attacks in several cities with growing levels of
sophistication and assistance from outside the country and
many innocent lives have been lost.

"The terrorist attack in Mumbai as well as the terrorist
incidents in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Bengaluru
and Assam and before that on our Embassy in Kabul, were an
assault on all the values that our country stands for," she
said.

"The attack in Mumbai was deliberately planned to retard
our economic progress. My government is heartened by the
international support it has received after these attacks.
There is greater appreciation in the international community
of the threat that exists to the region and the world from the
terrorism emanating from Pakistan," the President said.

Patil said the government has strengthened the country's
internal security to protect people from mindless acts of
violence and a number of steps have been taken in this regard
which include establishment of National Investigation Agency
and amendment of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

"These measures have strengthened the legal and
investigative framework to tackle terrorist forces. While
arming the internal security apparatus with these powers, all
care would be taken to uphold legal procedures and prevent any
misuse of such powers," she said adding a comprehensive plan
has been drawn up to strengthen maritime and coastal security
against threats from sea.

The President said Left wing extremism remained a major
concern in several states and the government has adopted a
holistic approach to tackle this problem in close
coordination with the affected states through modernisation of
police forces and better implementation of socio-economic
development programmes for the most backward regions.

The President said the government has worked actively
with the international community to address key global
challenges of terrorism, energy and food security, climate
change and sustainable development, global economic and
financial crisis and the reform of international institutions,
including of the UN, to reflect contemporary realities.

"The conclusion of an India Specific Safeguards
Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the
decision of the Nuclear Suppliers' Group in 2008 to allow its
members to enter into full nuclear cooperation and trade with
India in nuclear material and technology marks the beginning
of the end of 34 years of nuclear isolation and the technology
denial regime that India was being subjected to," she said.

Patil said this has opened the way for our indigenous
nuclear power generation programme to be reinforced by
additionalities through international civil nuclear energy
cooperation, thereby also contributing to the global fight
against climate change.

"The opening of such cooperation with India is a
vindication of India's impeccable record on non-proliferation
and our long standing commitment to universal,
non-discriminatory and comprehensive nuclear disarmament," she
said.

The President said government's policies have ensured
that even as India faces an economic slowdown along with the
rest of the world, country's fundamentals are much better.

"India's domestic demand can inject fresh momentum to our
economy. India's banks are well capitalised and face no threat
that many banks face in other parts of the world. My
government has taken a series of measures to stimulate our
economy at this juncture," she said.

Patil said these have been expeditiously announced after
discussion with stakeholders to address the problem of slow
down in industrial growth exports and the services sector.

"These measures include increasing availability of
liquidity and credit, reduction in taxes and duties, boost to
infrastructure and special support to the worst affected
sectors such as exports, micro, medium and small industries,
housing and automobiles," she said.

The President said the long borders encompassing
different geographical and climate conditions and terrains
make it imperative to keep the Armed Forces in a state of full
preparedness to face diverse challenges at all times.

"The modernisation programme of the Armed Forces is
focussed on state-of-the-art technology, network centric
warfare, and includes an Integrated Space Cell to deal with
the challenges posed by the militarisation of space," she
said. PTI