HM reviews internal security situation
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 9: Union Home Minister Amit Shah today said the country is fighting terrorism as well as its support system together and a victory is possible only through a decisive fight against both of them.
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Chairing a high-level meeting of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials from across the country in New Delhi, Shah also said there is a need to control Left Wing Extremism by dismantling the financial and logistical support system.
The Home Minister said the country’s fight is against terrorism as well as its support system and unless it fights strictly against both of them, victory over terrorism cannot be achieved, an official statement said.
Shah stressed on the need to “strengthen the process of information sharing and enhancing liaison between counter-terrorism and anti-drug agencies” of the States.
Shah also reviewed the internal security situation in the country.
The meeting held extensive discussions on various issues related to national security, including counter terrorism, threats from extremism, cyber security related issues, border related aspects and threats from cross-border elements to the integrity and stability of the nation.
According to the statement, the Home Minister said the Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to ensure the security of the nation by strengthening all aspects of security and in the last eight years, many important steps have been taken to strengthen the internal security of the country.
He said the Intelligence Bureau has made a very important contribution in maintaining peace in the country since Independence anonymously without any expectations.
“We also have to make the country’s coastal security impenetrable. For this, we should keep a close eye on even the smallest and most isolated port,” he said.
Referring to the circulation of drugs, Shah said narcotics not only ruin the youth of the country but money earned from it also affects the internal security of the country, therefore everyone has to work together for its complete destruction.
“We have to make maximum use of anti-drone technology to stop smuggling of drugs from across the border through drones,” he said.
“A series of issues were taken up at the meeting held in the Union capital in which senior IB officers from New Delhi and all other States and Union Territories participated and briefed the Home Minister about prevailing situation with particular reference to internal security, strengthening Intelligence network to counter militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, Left wing extremism, radicalization and cyber security etc,” the officials said.
The Home Minister has been holding regular meetings with paramilitary forces, Intelligence agencies, police heads of different States to review security situation and ensure that no terror-related incident takes place anywhere.
The day-long meeting, as per the sources, discussed series of measures to be taken for more Intelligence gathering to ensure that the anti-national and anti-social elements don’t succeed in their designs.
Besides anti-terrorism measures, situation along the borders also figured prominently in the meeting. There have been reports that Pakistan and its backed militant outfits were trying to strengthen their network in border areas especially in Jammu and Punjab to increase drone activities which are being used to transport arms, ammunition, explosives and narcotics from across the border.
“A number of drone activities have been foiled by security forces and police in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab leading to recoveries of arms and ammunition and narcotics in large quantity,” the officials said.
They added that timely inputs by the border villages have also lead to some recoveries of the material dropped by drones from Pakistan which was meant for the militants and narcotics smugglers. Proceeds of narcotics, in certain cases, are also being used for terror funding.
In the meeting, the Home Minister assessed the internal security situation in the country and called for coordination among Central and State agencies.
Issues like continued threats of terrorism and global terror groups, terror financing, narco-terrorism, organised crime-terror nexus, illicit use of cyberspace and movement of foreign terrorist fighters were also discussed in the meeting.
The meeting was also attended by other senior officers across the country concerned with intelligence-related issues. Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, IB chief Tapan Deka were also among the topmost officers who attended the meeting.
The meeting was held days after the Home Minister recently held a Chintan Shivir in Haryana with Home Ministers, officials and police officials of the States.
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