Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday said that consistent efforts by the Central government had “weakened the ecosystem of terror” and has seen a “pronounced” reduction of violence in Jammu and Kashmir. It has also resulted in a sharp 80% decline in insurgency related violence in Northeast India, he added.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Thakur said that the government had worked on the legal front by strengthening the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and also taken steps at the enforcement level by giving the National Investigation Agency (NIA) a truly federal structure through amendments to the relevant law. “The collective effect of these measures has been the weakening of the ecosystem of terrorism,” he said.
Without naming Pakistan, Thakur said a neighbouring country is seen sheltering terrorists and propounding acts of violence. He said that an era of peace has dawned on the northeastern region since 2014 as insurgency violence has seen a sharp decline of 80% and civilian deaths have seen an 89% drop. This has been achieved following the surrender of 6,000 militants since 2014, Mr. Thakur said.
The Minister said probe agencies have achieved a conviction rate of 94% in cases of terror financing. The government has worked to create an atmosphere of lasting peace across the northeastern region through a series of peace pacts such as the Bodo Accord, Bru-Reang Agreement, NLFT-Tripura Agreement, Karbi Anglong Agreement and the Assam-Meghalaya Inter State Boundary Agreement, Thakur said. He said the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) too has been rolled back from large parts of the northeast, including the whole of Tripura and Meghalaya, and 60% of Assam.
The Minister highlighted the government’s operations to bring Indian nationals back home after the coronavirus outbreak and from conflict zones in Ukraine and Afghanistan.
Mr. Thakur said India also offered a helping hand to foreign citizens under distress in the strife-torn regions of South Sudan and Yemen.
Published - December 19, 2022 09:24 pm IST
