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« Back Sanjayji's debate on home ministry in parliament 28 Jul, 2009 I am thankful to hon. Opposition members for expressing their concern towards national security. After the incident of 26/11, all people of the country expressed their serious concern for national security. Two major incidents took place in the last ten years – first incident was the attack on Parliament during the NDA regime and second major incident was the attack on Taj Hotel and Oberoi Hotel in Mumbai. I am placing the figures relating to the situation of law and order in the country during 1999 to 2008. 18,106 incidents took place in Jammu and Kashmir during 1999-2003 whereas in the UPA regime from 2004 to 2008 the total number of such incidents is 7769. 3401 incidents occurred in Jammu and Kashmir in the year 2003 which came down to 2565 in the 2004. And again this figure came down to 1990 in the year 2005 and 1667 in the year 2006. This number further came down to 455 in the year 2008. All these figures reveal that the situation is improving in Jammu and Kashmir. As far as communal incidents are concerned, the number of such incidents was 718 in the year 1999 in NDA regime. This number came down to 507 in the year 2007 which indicates that the UPA Government has checked the spurt of communal incidents. In the year 1999, 172 people lost their lives in communal violence. This number increased to 193 in the year 2003 but came down to 99 in the year 2007 and to 69 in the year 2008.
It means that the UPA Government has succeeded in curbing the communal riots. Extremist incidents in different forms have been taking place in.North-East region for the last several years. All the previous Governments made their best efforts to rein in extremism. The UPA Government had been successful in curbing extremism in the North-East region. In the year 1999, 1743 incidents of extremism took place in the North-East region and this number came down to 1077 in the year 2008. Peace and tranquility should prevail in the North-East region so that the people of this backward region may get adequate opportunities of development.
It is essential to bring this region in the mainstream of the country. Our Government succeeded in controlling the communal violence in Jammu and Kashmir but our Government will have to be more serious and make strenuous efforts to combate the naxalite violence. If we analyse the naxalite violence in Andhra Pradesh we find that it has come down during the last five years. But there has been an increase in naxalite violence in Chhatisgarh and Jharkhand. Backwardness is stated to be the reason for naxalite violence there. Such regions should be developed and people of these regions should be provided employment.
Developmental projects should be implemented therein. In 2006-2007 and 2007-2008, our Government provided Rs.424 crore to Andhra Pradesh, Rs.153 crore to Bihar, Rs.179 crore to Chhatisgarh, Rs.170 crore to Jharkhand and Rs.406 crore to Maharashtra for the development of naxalite affected areas.There was a proposal to issue identity cards to the citizens and to bring White Paper on ISI during the previous Government but nothing happened. The UPA Government has started the work for issue of identity cards to citizens within one and half month of its second term. After the attack on the Parliament, the NDA Government had decided to reduce the staff strength of the Indian Missions in Karachi b y 50 per cent; not to allow its airspace to Pakistan Airlines; and to scrap Indus water treaty but nothing was done. Due to whose failure the attack on Parliament took place? The NDA Government never admitted this failure.
But after the Mumbai attack the Government has taken initiatives to restructure and strengthen the intelligence neetwork. The UPA Government have taken serious steps with regard to coastal security. Today, strict security arrangements have been made in nine states and union territories. NSG has been strengthened after Mumbai attacks. Today Mumbai has its own NSG centre with 23 acres of land.The Opposition has raised the issue of capital punishment to Afzal Guru. We all admit that Afzal Guru must be hanged but his mercy petition is pending with the President of India. They blame one community only but when Malegaon blast took place and its investigation started, it was termed as political conspiracy. BJP termed the arrest of Sadhvi Pragya a pollgimmick. Such double standards should not be adopted. A particular community was attacked in Orissa and Gujarat during last two to three years but when investigation started the people of particular community and organization were found e involved and later on BJP came forward for their support. In this way their concern for national security proves totally hollow.