‘All steps being taken to tackle terrorism’
Will provide safe, peaceful environment to J&K people
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 20: Declaring that his Government is making efforts with complete dedication to provide safe and peaceful environment to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir, President Ram Nath Kovind today said the illegal infiltrators pose a major threat to our internal security and were leading to social imbalance in many parts of the country as he announced the Government’s decision to implement `National Register of Citizens’ on priority.
In his Address to both Houses of Parliament marking start of first budget session of Modi 2.0 Government, Kovind said with surgical and air strikes, India has amply demonstrated both its intent and capabilities and declared that in future also, all possible steps will be taken to ensure our security.
Kovind described security as utmost important and said all steps are being taken to tackle terrorism.
“Illegal infiltrators pose a major threat to our internal security. This is leading to social imbalance in many parts of the country, as well as putting a huge pressure on limited livelihood opportunities. My Government has decided to implement the process of `National Register of Citizens’ on priority basis in areas affected by the infiltration,” the President said.
It may be mentioned here that large number of Rohingyas, the illegal immigrants from Myanmar, have settled in Jammu region and other parts of the country. BJP, Nationalist Panthers Party and several other political parties and organizations have demanded deportation of Rohingyas back to their country.
Kovind said security along the border will be further strengthened to prevent infiltration of the illegal immigrants.
On one hand, he said, the Government is working to identify the infiltrators, on the other, it is also fully committed to protecting the victims of persecution due to their faith. In this regard, efforts will be made to amend the Citizenship Act while protecting linguistic, cultural and social identities, he added.
“My Government is making efforts with complete dedication to provide safe and peaceful environment to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir. The recently concluded peaceful elections to the Local bodies and to Lok Sabha have bolstered our efforts,” the President said, adding that his Government is committed to take all necessary steps for development of Jammu and Kashmir.
Describing country’s security as that of utmost importance, Kovind said: “New India will be sensitive and also, economically prosperous. But for this to happen, nation’s security is of utmost importance. My Government accords top most priority to national security. Therefore, effective steps are being taken to tackle terrorism and Naxalism”.
Referring to surgical and airstrikes against Pakistan, the President said India has amply demonstrated its intent and capabilities, first through surgical strikes and then through airstrikes after the Pulwama attack at terrorist hideouts across the border.
In future also, he declared, all possible steps will be taken to ensure our security.
Asserting that the Government accords highest respects to soldiers and their families, he said respect towards soldiers and martyrs enhance self-respect and enthusiasm among the forces, and also strengthen our military capabilities. Therefore, he added, all possible efforts are being made to take care of our soldiers and their families. Through `One Rank One Pension’, increased pension benefits to ex-servicemen and expansion of health facilities, efforts are being made to improve their living standards.
He added that the Government was working for modernization of Army and the Armed Forces. “India is going to receive the delivery of first ‘Rafale’ fighter aircraft and ‘Apache’ helicopters in the near future”.
Kovind said entire global community stands with India on the issue of terrorism and designation of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist is a testimony to this fact.
Kovind said the world community supports India’s position on various issues such as climate change, economic and cyber-crime, action against corruption and black money and energy security.
“Today, the whole world stands with India on the issue of terrorism. Designation of Masood Azhar, responsible for dastardly terrorist attacks on our soil, as a global terrorist by the United Nations, is a major testimony to this fact,” he said.
Last month, the United Nations had designated Pakistan-based Azhar as a “global terrorist” after China lifted its hold on a proposal to blacklist him.
PTI adds:- Laying the roadmap of the Narendra Modi Government for its second term, President Ram Nath Kovind today said empowering every person is the main goal for a ‘New India’ by 2022 on the back of a “stronger mandate” for continuing uninterrupted the journey of development started in 2014.
As he highlighted the Modi Government’s achievements and priorities in an hour-long address to the joint sitting of Parliament, Kovind also pushed for simultaneous elections, saying it is the “need of the hour.”
Kovind also underlined the Government’s resolve to remove “social evils” of triple talaq and ‘nikah halala’ to ensure equal rights for women, take forward the campaign against black money at a faster pace and make the zero tolerance policy against corruption more comprehensive and effective.
On issues relating to economy, Kovind, dressed in a cream ‘bandgala’, said the government will soon announce a new industrial policy aimed at promoting growth and creating jobs.
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and MPs of both Houses in attendance in the Central Hall of Parliament for the joint sitting after the formation of the 17th Lok Sabha, the President said the general elections had enhanced the credibility of Indian democracy as a record number of people—61 crore—voted, including the highest share of women.
Kovind, in his speech, which is prepared by the Government of the day, said empowering every person in the country is the main goal of the ruling dispensation which, he added, wants to build a ‘New India’ by 2022 in which there is no discrimination on the grounds of caste or religion.
“My Government is giving residential, health facilities to poor as poverty can be removed only by empowering them,” he said.
Several NDA MPs thumped the desks when Kovind referred to the Modi Government’s philosophy of ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas aur Sabka Vishwas’.
“The people of the country have given a very clear mandate in this election (2019 Lok Sabha polls). After assessing the performance of the Government during its first tenure, people have given even stronger mandate for the second term. By doing so, they have given a mandate for continuing uninterrupted and at an accelerated pace the journey of development which started in 2014,” he said. The BJP won 303 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats at stake compared to 282 in the 2014 polls.
On Parliamentary and Assembly polls, Kovind said due to frequent polls in some part of the country or the other, the pace and continuity of development programmes have been impacted.
“Therefore, I urge all Members of Parliament to seriously ponder over this development oriented proposal of One Nation – Simultaneous Elections,” he said.
His suggestion came a day after Modi held deliberations with chiefs of 21 political parties over the issue and announced setting up of a panel for time-bound suggestions.
Kovind noted that half of the MPs in this Lok Sabha have been elected for the first time and the presence of 78 women MPs, the highest ever, presents the picture of a new India.
He also said penalties for crimes against women have been made “harsher” and the new penal provisions are being strictly enforced.
To fulfil its resolution of building a ‘New India’, the Government in a short period of 21 days has taken many decisions aimed at welfare of farmers, soldiers, students, entrepreneurs, women and other sections of society and have also started implementing them, Kovind said, adding initiatives have been taken to enact several new laws.
He spoke about the decision to start pension schemes for farmers and small traders, and extending the scheme to give Rs 6,000 input subsidy to all farmers.
Noting that a strong national economy can be built only on the foundation of a strong rural economy, he said an investment of Rs 25 lakh crore will be made in the coming years in order to enhance agriculture productivity.
To double income of farmers by 2022, when India will complete its 75 years of Independence, several steps have been taken in the last five years, the President said.
Talking about the federal structure of the country, Kovind said “strengthening the system and spirit of cooperative federalism, my Government is taking the States along to achieve national goals.”
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