ID :
24215
Mon, 10/13/2008 - 18:23
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/24215
The shortlink copeid
PM terms communal violence in Orissa, Karna `most disturbing`
New Delhi, Oct 13 (PTI) Terming the recent communal violence in Orissa and Karnataka as "most disturbing and dangerous," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday said those who threaten communal harmony, integrity and peaceful coexistence deserve "very deterrent punishment".
He also said that an atmosphere of "hatred and violence" is being "artificially generated".
"There are forces deliberately encouraging such tendencies and also spawning militant outfits who engage in irrational violence. These need to be firmly dealt with," he said inaugurating the National Integration Council (N.I.C.) meeting here.
Noting that perhaps the most disturbing and dangerous aspect today is the assault on the country's composite culture, Singh said "Today, we see fault-lines developing between, and among, communities."
Holding that there has been considerable debate in the country on ways to handle issues of sectarian and communal violence, he said, "there cannot be two views on the fact that such attempts must be thwarted with the full power of a state that is intent on protecting its democratic foundations.
"Those who threaten our communal harmony, integrity and peaceful coexistence deserve very deterrent punishment," the Prime Minister said.
The day-long meeting is being attended by United Progressive Alliance (U.P.A.) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Union Ministers and Chief Ministers.
"We should not be provoked to suspend or subvert a democratic process in the search for solutions...It has also to be done in a manner that respects the Constitutional bounds of a federal polity," the Prime Minister said.
He said that the responsibility of the political
leadership was to preserve and promote the pluralistic and
democratic framework.
"We need to collectively consider whether short-term
narrow political ends are driving some of us to encourage
forces of divisiveness that are today threatening the unity of
our people," he said.
Observing that the N.I.C. needed to exert its moral
authority on the nation collectively, Singh said "we need to
isolate and fight those who promote divisiveness. The common
citizen in this country wants peace and harmony in society".
Turning to the issue of terrorism, the Prime Minister
said that terrorism and terrorist acts undoubtedly presented a
"serious dilemma".
"There can be no compromise with terrorism and terrorists
have to be dealt with firmly,"he said adding at the same time
it was important that in trying to counter terrorism wrong
methods and means were not adopted.
"Any impression that any community, or sections amongst
them, are being targeted, or that some kind of profiling is
being attempted should be avoided. The means are as important
as the ends. This is vital, as otherwise, it could lead to a
major polarization in society," he warned.
On the issue of Left Wing extremism, the Prime Minister
said that many of those who were being encouraged to take to
violence have suffered from years, and sometimes generations,
of violence at the hands of exploiters and unscrupulous
elements.
"Yet, we cannot ignore the reality that today's naxalites
are armed with sophisticated weapons, and adept at guerilla
warfare techniques and have caused the death of many innocent
people and members of the security forces," he said.
A proper distinction has to be made so that while there
was no attempt made to minimise the threat posed by them and
to deal effectively with the problem, the poor tribals and
others should not be made to suffer needlessly at the hands of
the authorities as well, he said.
The Prime Minister said there were multiple deprivations
in the country that could be manipulated, perhaps cynically
manipulated, to promote divisions in society.
"Our task of nation building is still work-in-progress,"
he said adding that the energies ought to be singularly
focused on removing poverty, disease, ignorance and the
inequality of opportunity.
"We are at a point in history where the world is looking
at India as a country which is successfully transforming its
economy in the context of a working democracy," he said adding
that the fast rate of economic development would in itself
become an "antidote to several forces of sectarianism that we
are witnessing today."
He also said that an atmosphere of "hatred and violence" is being "artificially generated".
"There are forces deliberately encouraging such tendencies and also spawning militant outfits who engage in irrational violence. These need to be firmly dealt with," he said inaugurating the National Integration Council (N.I.C.) meeting here.
Noting that perhaps the most disturbing and dangerous aspect today is the assault on the country's composite culture, Singh said "Today, we see fault-lines developing between, and among, communities."
Holding that there has been considerable debate in the country on ways to handle issues of sectarian and communal violence, he said, "there cannot be two views on the fact that such attempts must be thwarted with the full power of a state that is intent on protecting its democratic foundations.
"Those who threaten our communal harmony, integrity and peaceful coexistence deserve very deterrent punishment," the Prime Minister said.
The day-long meeting is being attended by United Progressive Alliance (U.P.A.) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Union Ministers and Chief Ministers.
"We should not be provoked to suspend or subvert a democratic process in the search for solutions...It has also to be done in a manner that respects the Constitutional bounds of a federal polity," the Prime Minister said.
He said that the responsibility of the political
leadership was to preserve and promote the pluralistic and
democratic framework.
"We need to collectively consider whether short-term
narrow political ends are driving some of us to encourage
forces of divisiveness that are today threatening the unity of
our people," he said.
Observing that the N.I.C. needed to exert its moral
authority on the nation collectively, Singh said "we need to
isolate and fight those who promote divisiveness. The common
citizen in this country wants peace and harmony in society".
Turning to the issue of terrorism, the Prime Minister
said that terrorism and terrorist acts undoubtedly presented a
"serious dilemma".
"There can be no compromise with terrorism and terrorists
have to be dealt with firmly,"he said adding at the same time
it was important that in trying to counter terrorism wrong
methods and means were not adopted.
"Any impression that any community, or sections amongst
them, are being targeted, or that some kind of profiling is
being attempted should be avoided. The means are as important
as the ends. This is vital, as otherwise, it could lead to a
major polarization in society," he warned.
On the issue of Left Wing extremism, the Prime Minister
said that many of those who were being encouraged to take to
violence have suffered from years, and sometimes generations,
of violence at the hands of exploiters and unscrupulous
elements.
"Yet, we cannot ignore the reality that today's naxalites
are armed with sophisticated weapons, and adept at guerilla
warfare techniques and have caused the death of many innocent
people and members of the security forces," he said.
A proper distinction has to be made so that while there
was no attempt made to minimise the threat posed by them and
to deal effectively with the problem, the poor tribals and
others should not be made to suffer needlessly at the hands of
the authorities as well, he said.
The Prime Minister said there were multiple deprivations
in the country that could be manipulated, perhaps cynically
manipulated, to promote divisions in society.
"Our task of nation building is still work-in-progress,"
he said adding that the energies ought to be singularly
focused on removing poverty, disease, ignorance and the
inequality of opportunity.
"We are at a point in history where the world is looking
at India as a country which is successfully transforming its
economy in the context of a working democracy," he said adding
that the fast rate of economic development would in itself
become an "antidote to several forces of sectarianism that we
are witnessing today."
