Naxalism is an obstacle to country’s growth, says Manmohan Singh

NEW DELHI - The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, on Friday called for bringing an end to the Naxal problem in order to sustain the growth rate of 10-11% per cent per annum.

“Naxalite violence is yet another problem and naxalism today afflicts the Central India parts where the bulk of India’s mineral wealth lies and if we don’t control naxalism we have to say goodbye to our country’s ambitions to sustain growth rate of 10-11% per cent per annum as we all need and as we all aspire that that is the only way that we can get rid of chronic poverty, ignorance and disease that still afflict millions and millions of our citizens. So, the tribal areas are today in the grip of Naxalite menace,” said Dr. Singh, while addressing the IPS probationers batch 2009.

“What causes this disaffection, why some elements of the tribal societies take to that path, they become an easy prey to the Naxalite propaganda, I think there are social and economic causes which are at the roots of this disaffection. And we have to handle this problem both as a law and order problem as also a development problem. And therefore it is very important that if you want various strategies to deal with this menace, you must have the sensitivity to recognize the social and economic roots of disaffection among tribal societies,” he added.

Further repeating to what he had said the last year, Dr. Singh said: “I repeat we are living in a world where human knowledge is increasing at a pace which was unthinkable even two decades ago. And therefore our Civil Services have to equip themselves well. They must operate on the frontiers of knowledge. And that’s where the knowledge of social and economic conditions, social and economic causes of disaffection should be high on the agenda of training and retraining modules.”

The Prime Minister further said that with urbanization and the growth of metropolitan cities, crime assumes special forms.

“We find for example in metropolitan cities, violence against women is growing. Violence against elderly citizens is growing in intensity. And therefore the problems of managing urban complexes, metropolitan complexes and maintaining law and order in large metropolitan cities, it requires an in-depth knowledge and experience of how we can combine the knowledge of science, knowledge of economics, knowledge of sociology to devise strategies which will help us to control threats to law and order and at the same time, we will do so in a manner which does not lead to any serious disaffection among large sections of population,” said Dr. Singh.

“Law and order enforcement machinery must use technologies and techniques which do not have recourse to third degree methods. I think as citizens of our country, we must devise ways and means of conducting our enquiries by the police and other entities without use of third degree methods. We must respect the rights of our citizens. Until people have been convicted, they should be regarded as innocent. That’s the basic philosophy of our system,” he added.

The Prime Minister further said terrorism, naxalism, communalism, management of law of metropolitan cities have thrown up immense challenges to law and order machinery in all parts of our country.

“Questions are the same everywhere, answers must be location specific. And I sincerely hope that trust that what you have learnt at your Academy will enable you to grapple with these challenges to our national unity and integrity and the law and order machinery of the Union and the States with great aplomb,” he said.

The Prime Minister further wished best wishes to all the IPS probationers in discharging their numerous responsibilities.

“I wish you all the very best in discharging your onerous responsibilities and belonging to the one of the most privileged service of the Union. God bless you in every possible way,” he said. (ANI)