Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister, Punjab today sought a ‘Special Security Package’ for border state Punjab to overcome the challenges posed by inimical forces and to combat narco-terrorism effectively. Speaking in the meeting of Chief Ministers on Internal Security presided over by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Mr. Badal made a forceful plea demanding extension of scheme providing funds for Modernization of police force by minimum 10 years, increase of modernization budget from Rs 30 crore to Rs 150 crore, allocation of Rs 50 crore for training and equipment of Special Security Group, allowing raising one more Indian Reserve Battalion besides introducing basic change in the allocation of budget from Union Government making the schemes state specific.
Seeking a special package from Union Government to tackle left wing extremism, Mr. Badal pleaded that state should be considered category ‘A’ instead of category ‘B’ looking at historic roots of Naxal agitation in Punjab. He also advised to have separate state specific conference quarterly besides annual conference on Internal Security.
Mr. Badal, who is also holding the portfolio of Home Ministry in Punjab, underlined the threats in the state and sought National support to combat these elements. He said that Punjab being a border state with 553 kilometer long international border with Pakistan that adjoins with troubled Jammu and Kashmir was influenced by sensitive geographical location coupled with various outfits active in the neighbouring states. He said that the matter gets further compounded with interstate dynamics and national issues having bearing on the state matter besides socio-economic and politico-religious issues affecting the sensitive state.
He said that we should not forget the fact that state has passed through turbulent period of violence in ’80 and early ‘90s in which 11694 innocents including 262 family members of policemen and 1780 security personnel including 6 IPS Officers were killed. He said that the fact that out of 271 gallantry awards to the security personnel in this period, 42 were awarded posthumously was indicative of resolve of Punjab Police to tackle violence head on.
He said that Punjab was perhaps the only state which has successfully fought with both Naxalism and Terrorism. Mr. Badal said that Naxal movement was controlled in the 1960s and early 70s and terrorism in the 80s and early 90s. Advising caution against their re-eruption Mr. Badal said that being a border state we continuously face threats from across the border for the revival of terrorism and there was a long continuous threat for revival of Naxalism. He underlined that our state was continuously fighting these Battles, besides this facing continuous flow of Weapons, Explosives, Drugs and Fake Currency from across the Borders.
Emphasizing the need for effective sharing of intelligence regarding movements and threat perceptions of important personalities at interstate and international level, Mr. Badal said that advance information was imperative to tackle the situation effectively. Reiterating the resolve of SAD-BJP Government to tackle Narco-Terrorism, Mr. Badal said that Punjab was worst sufferer with its geographical proximity to ‘Golden Crescent’ comprising of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran, largest producers of illegal opiates. He said that drive of Punjab Police against Narco-Smuggling could be gauged from the fact that Punjab accounted for 1/5 of total heroine recovery in the country. He said that Government was giving special attention to combat drug trafficking and an anti-narcotic task force under Inspector General of Police has been established with each districts having separate anti-narcotic cells. He sought installation of ‘Special Equipment’ in the border area to freeze signals of Pakistani SIM cards being used by smugglers. The Deputy Chief Minister said In order to fight all these problems we have Recruited more than 18000 policemen in last 3 years, set up a Special Security Group (SSG) on lines of NSG ,established SWAT Teams, created independent cadre for the Intelligence Wing, introduced Commissionerate System in major towns , increased State Police budget from 1500 crore to 3000 crores in the last 5 years. He said that to change the traditional image of Police and to provide Single window service to citizens Saanjh Centres have been set up, Right to Service Act Implemented as a major initiative towards Community Policing Emphasizing to equip police force technologically, Mr. Badal said that today wars were won by technology. He lamented that in India, Internal Security gets the least importance in our Budget. Looking at the allocation of funds for modernization in the Budget which is approximately 1000 crores per year Mr. Badal said that this budget was a pittance when compared to while Defence that gets 1,93,000 crores, even NREGA gets 30000 to 40000 crores per year. Stressing the need to take preventive measures rather than curing it, when the problem become in full blown, Mr. Badal said that we do not believe in this theory. He said that for example to tackle Naxal Problem, Terrorism, we spend thousands of crores on cure rather than spending a little amount on Prevention. Laying stress on capacity building of police, Mr. Badal said that Union Government must help the state in improving infrastructure, providing better manpower and financial resources at Police Station level, equipping police force with modern weaponry and gadgetry, improvised Non-Lethal Weaponry.