Union Minister of Home P. Chidambaram asserted here on Saturday that the fight against naxalism would continue and stressed the need to keep up the resolve in battling the problem.
“Terrorism and naxalism are among the challenges facing the country. We need to be resolute in overcoming these. We can win,” Mr. Chidambaram said while addressing the valediction of a six-day training camp for Congress Seva Dal members.
Explaining to the members the various public welfare initiatives of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government since 2004, he said while the nation registered a good growth rate of eight per cent on the one hand, there were challenges in the form of terrorism sponsored from across its borders and the naxal problem created from within.
The country had been facing problems from insurgent groups in the States in the North-East. But, a number of them had laid down arms. Now, the problem was in some of the States in the Central region. “I assure you that we will overcome this challenge with resolve.”
Mr. Chidambaram called upon Congress workers to highlight among people the achievements of the government and the people-friendly measures it had initiated. “We brought the Right to Information Act and the Right to Education Act. Now, we are preparing a Bill on the right to food.”
Other parties, such as the Bharatiya Janata Party, too had been in power. But, they did not introduce these. The Opposition, including the Left parties, was trying to pick holes in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. “Why was this scheme not implemented in West Bengal where the Communist government has been in power for 33 years and in Kerala where the Left parties have come to power many times?”
The strength of the Congress lay in adapting to changes; absorbing from these whatever meant good for the country and the people. That was how the country saw a huge increase in foreign investment.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K.V. Thangkabalu said training camps of the Seva Dal were among the many efforts of the party to strengthen itself at all levels.
State chief organiser of the Seva Dal K. Selvaraj stressed the need to take the achievements of successive Congress governments to people in all the Assembly constituencies in the State.
