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Chief Ministers back anti-terror initiatives

Vinay Kumar

Some express concern over certain aspects of National Investigation Agency and amendments to Cr.PC

— Photos: PTI/ Subhav Shukla

ONE AGAINST TERROR: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi (left) with his Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh counterparts Ashok Chavan and Y.S. Rajashekara Reddy at the conference of Chief Ministers on internal security in New Delhi on Tuesday.

NEW DELHI: The Union government on Tuesday received “total and unconditional” support from all the Chief Ministers in carrying on the fight against terrorism

While realising that the fight would be long-drawn and hard, a conference of the Chief Ministers on internal security, presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, acknowledged that it would not happen if strong steps to root out terror were not taken.

Emphasising the need for cooperation with the States and allaying their apprehensions, Dr. Singh assured the Chief Ministers that all anti-terror initiatives would be undertaken with the “closest possible interaction” with the State governments and their apparatus.

Police cooperation

“We do recognise that it is not possible to effectively fight terror without the whole-hearted cooperation of the police machinery at all levels,” the Prime Minister said.

While the Centre was able to extract support from the Chief Ministers on the recent anti-terror laws, some of them expressed concern over amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Unlawful Activities (Amendment) Act and certain aspects of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Delhi and J&K Chief Ministers Sheila Dikshit and Omar Abdullah strike a happy pose at the meet.

Briefing journalists after the daylong meeting, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said he would write a detailed letter to the Chief Ministers to remove their doubts about certain aspects of the NIA and other anti-terror laws and Cr.PC amendments. All the Bills were unanimously passed by Parliament last month where members represented all the States and political parties, he said.

“I have also assured Parliament that these laws can be revisited, if there is any need, in February. On the NIA front also, I do not expect any problem. For me, all of them are CMs, I do not look at them as being either from the UPA or the NDA,” he said.

Many Chief Ministers favoured the setting up a of a separate intelligence cadre of State police to strengthen intelligence gathering mechanism.

The conference was told about security related measures taken post 26/11 Mumbai attacks such as setting up a Multi-Agency Centre to boost intelligence sharing mechanism, expediting Crime and Criminal Tracking Network, registering all fishermen, fishing boats, vehicles, identity cards in border and coastal districts and maintaining a strict control of immigration, he said.

While admitting that India’s geographical position and other factors made it vulnerable to terror attacks, the Minister said there would not be any compromise in providing foolproof security cover to all iconic, defence and vital installations, religious shrines and strategic installations across the country.

Maharashtra plan

Maharashtra favoured the setting up of an industrial security force at the State level.

Favouring a pro-active approach to tackle terror, Mr. Chidambaram explained that it would mean sharing real-time information, ensuring seamless flow of intelligence and seeking out terror modules and smashing them.

In his closing remarks, the Prime Minister said all Chief Ministers agreed that the changes made in laws relating to terrorism were necessary, though some of them proposed changes to make the law more effective in dealing with terrorist acts.

He also took note of similar consensus on establishment of the NIA. Some of the Chief Ministers had urged that the NIA be limited to terrorism and not extended to other types of offences.

“There is also agreement that no State is today insulated from terrorism and every State must, therefore, remain fully prepared to deal with a terrorist attack and coordinate its response in this respect,” he said.

On coastal security, Dr. Singh said an effective coastal command was being created.

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