India still collecting evidence to give Pakistan

A few weeks after initiating a probe into the uploading of inflammatory content on the Internet by Pakistan-based elements, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is still in the process of gathering evidence from various agencies, including some private entities, which is to be given to Pakistan for action against those responsible for fuelling tensions in India.

“We are still inquiring into the matter with different agencies [government and private]… we are waiting for some more information,” Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told journalists here.

Last month, Home Secretary R. K. Singh pointed to the uploading of inflammatory content by Pakistan-based elements on the Internet and social networking websites, targeting the north-east Indians, which led to their exodus from Bangalore and some other cities.

Though Mr. Shinde had said India would soon share all documentary and technical evidence with Pakistan so that action could be initiated against the culprits, the MHA is still to prepare a dossier to be presented to Pakistan, apparently due to non-cooperation from some private Internet companies.

Naxal issue

Mr. Shinde said the government was always ready to have a dialogue with Maoists to bring them into the national mainstream. They were preparing a plan to employ youth from Left-wing extremism-affected areas so that they did not join banned terror organisations.

“We want these youth to join paramilitary forces…These youth will be imparted training on skill development as is being done in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.