‘Separatists exploiting people, creating law & order problem’
Security forces effectively grappling with terror
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 20: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today that financing from across the border (Pakistan) for militants and separatists in Jammu and Kashmir remained a cause of concern and charged the separatists with trying to exploit every possible situation in the Valley to further “anti-India sentiments”, leading to law and order problem. He charged Pakistan with trying to keep the pot boiling in Kashmir by keeping terror infrastructure and communication control stations intact in their country.
In a series of tweets after addressing conference of DGPs/IGPs near ‘Statue of Unity’ at Kevadiya, Gujarat this afternoon, Rajnath said security forces have been effectively grappling with major security challenges like terrorist and security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and expressed satisfaction over the fact that incidents of stone pelting have declined in the Valley.
“Terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) remains in the form of training camps, launching pads and communication control stations. Finan-cing from across the border (Pakistan) for militants and separatists is also a cause of concern,” Rajnath said.
Charging the separatists with trying to exploit situation in Kashmir, the Union Home Minister said they (the separatists) were trying to agitate the people to fan further “anti-India sentiments” in Kashmir, which leads to law and order situation. However, he expressed satisfaction that stone pelting incidents have declined in the Valley.
Rajnath asserted that law enforcement agencies have managed to overcome the first tide of propaganda and mobilization by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
“In concerted counter-terrorism operations, law enforcement agencies have arrested nearly 125 terrorist suspects as against 117 arrested in 2017,” he said and pointed out that security forces have been effectively grappling with major security challenges like terrorist and security situation in Jammu and Kashmir. However, he asserted, much needs to be done when it comes to civil policing.
Noting that Pakistan has rightly been put on grey list due to efforts by India, Rajnath said: “India is a member of Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an inter-Government body, which makes recommendations relating to combating of financing of terrorism, money laundering etc”.
Referring to the situation along Jammu and Kashmir borders and efforts to control infiltration there, the Union Home Minister said the Centre has been making use of the latest technology to make security system of the borders stronger and effective and in a first step of its kind, Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) or smart fencing at the borders has been installed.
“The CIBMS would create an invisible electronic barrier and held detect and foil infiltration bids in most difficult terrains. The number of casualties on the borders would get minimized and the stress level among the jawans would also reduce to a large extent,” Rajnath said.
He also charged Pakistan establishment and some extremist elements based in Pakistan with making attempts to revive terrorism in Punjab.
“In Punjab, recent terror incidents and related interdictions indicated concerted efforts on part of Pakistan establishment and extremist elements based in Pakistan to revive terrorism in Punjab with active support of radical entities based abroad, especially Europe and America,” he said.
On Cyber security threats, the Home Minister said the Central Government has initiated setting up of National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC) to generate necessary situational awareness of existing and potential cyber security threats and to enable sharing of proactive, preventive and protective actions.
“To detect variety of threats and imminent cyber attacks from outside the country, periodic scanning of cyber space is carried out. Cyber mock drills are being conducted regularly to enable assessment of cyber security posture and preparedness of Government organizations,” Singh said, adding that the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) issues alerts and advisories regarding latest cyber threats and counter measures on regular basis. The CERT has published guidelines for securing IT infrastructure, he added.
Referring to the role of National Investigation Agency (NIA) in countering terror, he said the NIA, since its inception, has registered 183 cases till December 2017, out of which, 135 cases have been charge sheeted. Trial has been concluded in 37 cases, out of which 35 cases have resulted in conviction, which is one of the highest conviction rates in the world by any Agency. A total number of 45 NIA Special Courts have been constituted in the States/Union Territories, he added.
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