PM worried over rise in infiltration

New Delhi, Sep 15 (PTI) Describing as "worrisome"
increasing inflitration from across the Line of Control, Prime
Minister of India Manmohan Singh Tuesday expressed concern
over secessionist and militant groups in north Indian state
Jammu and Kashmir once again attempting to make common cause
with "outside" elements.

He said these groups and the elements, a veiled
reference to infiltrators from Pakistan, have embarked on a
series of protest movements with the apparent intention of
creating an impression of widespread turmoil in the state.

"We must not not and I repeat we must not not allow
such a situation to develop. It is imperative that these
disruptive efforts are contained, controlled and effectively
checked," he said in his address to the All India Conference
of DGPs and IGPs here.

Maintaining there was no no room for complacency,
Singh said "Encounters with armed militants have become more
frequent in recent weeks and months."

The three-day conference was also being attended by
Home Minister of India P Chidamabaram and National Security
Advisor M K Narayanan.

The Prime Minister said infiltration was also going
up from other routes such as Nepal, Bangladesh and the sea is
"going up".


Singh also expressed concern over increasing
incidents of Naxal violence which he termed as the "gravest
internal security threat."

"I have consistently held that Left Wing Extremism
poses perhaps the gravest internal security threat that we
face. We have not achieved as much as success as we would have
liked in containing it. It is a matter of concern that despite
efforts, the level of violence in the affected states
continues to rise," he said.

Contending that Naxalism cannot be treated as a
law and order problem, he said dealing with Maoists requires a
"nuanced" strategy.

"Despite its sanguinary nature the movement manages
to retain a section of the tribals and the poorest of the poor
in many areas. It has influence among sizable sections of
civil society, the intelligentsia and youth. It still retains
a certain elan. All this adds to the complexity of the
problem," Singh said.

He said the situation in the North-Eastern part of
the country is "far from comfortable" especially in Manipur
and Assam where current levels of violence were cause for
concern.

The Prime Minister said while filling of vacancies in
police was necessary, there was need for capacity building at
the police station level as well.

Singh said increasing numbers alone will not be
enough. "We need a new-age policeman who is more professional,
better-motivated, suitably empowered, well-trained, one who
places greater emphasis on technology for investigation and
other tasks," he said.

"There was also need for providing adequate
amenities, like housing, to the police personnel. At the same
time greater attention has to be paid to the provision of
adequate amenities such as housing for our policemen," the
Prime Minister said.

He underlined the need for providing better
technology, equipment and weapons to the police at the grass
root level.

"Each police station should aim at being
self-sufficient and needs to be given the required resources
in terms of anti-riot gear, better weapons, the nucleus of a
mobile forensic unit and be connected to a networked criminal
data base management system. Every city should have a modern
police control room with digitized maps," he said.

The Prime Minister said systems and procedure should
be designed to minimize scope for corruption.

"We should have a sufficiently long-term perspective
in this area and also the required amount of funds should be
made available for the purpose," he said. PTI SKL