Insurgency in NE over, it’s time for change in policing approach: Shah
As violence has reached negligible levels in the North-East, the police of the region should focus on providing citizens their rightful entitlements, said Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday.
Addressing the 72nd plenary session of North Eastern Council (NEC) in Agartala, Shah said a change was needed in the approach, training and focus of the police in every northeastern state.
He mentioned that the prerequisite for achieving this change was the complete implementation of the three new criminal laws across all states in the region.
The Home Minister pointed out that for years, the focus of the police in all states of the North-East was solely on combating insurgency and violence. “However, now that violence has almost ceased in the region, it is time to ensure that every citizen in the region is granted constitutional rights to property, honour and family protection, which are included in these three laws,” he added.
The Home Minister said that preparations were underway to fully implement three new criminal laws across all states in the North-East. He further noted that after the complete implementation of these laws, justice will be delivered within three years, even in the most complex cases, including those reaching the Supreme Court.
He also underlined that the Centre had adopted a multi-dimensional approach in the field of security and created a specific strategy for each state. He claimed that as a result of this strategy, the police, Army, Assam Rifles, and Central Armed Police Forces had successfully established a very good system in the North-East. Consequently, violent incidents in the region had reduced by 71 per cent and civilian deaths had reduced by 86 per cent in the last 10 years, he claimed.
The Minister further said that in the past 10 years, several peace agreements had been signed; and about 10,574 armed youths had surrendered and joined the mainstream, bringing peace and laying the foundation for development in the region.
“For a long time, this region was merely an issue for speeches in Delhi, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought this area into the focus of development with his vision and sensitivity,” remarked the Home Minister.
Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia, Tripura Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha and Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan were present on the occasion.
The meeting was also attended by the Governors of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim, as well as the CMs of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim.
