Amit Shah discusses security challenges on Nepal-Myanmar borders

Security challenges along the land borders with Nepal and Myanmar, as well as strategies to identify overstaying foreigners in India and target Maoist strongholds, were among the issues discussed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the start of the 57th DGPs-IGPs three-day conference, which began here in the city on Friday, according to top government sources.

Over the next two days, the sources told ANI, top police leadership of the country will deliberate on emerging security challenges and opportunities along with experts, field functionaries, and academia in the conference. Chairing day 1 of the conference being organised at the National Agriculture Science Complex in the national capital’s PUSA Campus, Amit Shah said “no one can ignore India nor stop it from moving forward under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership”.

“We have to remember that the entire world has now accepted the fact that India can no longer be tied back. In a recent report, Morgan Stanley has said that by 2027 we will become the world’s third-largest economy,” Shah said, addressing the conference.

The Home Minister further said, “I am not saying this on the basis of the survey alone but on the basis of our track record. In 2014 our economy was the 11th largest in the world and we had remained in the same status in the decade prior to it. But within the period starting from 2014 to January 2023, we have jumped from 11th to 5th position.”

The three-day conference is being held in a hybrid mode, with Director Generals of Police, Inspector Generals of Police from all states and Union Territories, and heads of the Central Armed Police Forces attending from New Delhi, and approximately 600 officers of various levels attending virtually from various states and UTs.

At the meeting, Shah also presented meritorious service medals and trophies to the top three police stations in the country.

Invoking how Prime Minister Modi has ensured that India can avail optimum benefits of the G20 summits, Shah said, “All of us know that India is chairing the G20 meet and our Prime Minister has made a unique effort of selecting 56 cities to host more than 200 G20 meetings.”

Lauding the effort of the security agencies, the Home minister said, “So far in the question of internal security, we have been successful in maintaining peace in the country by and large despite many odds. I congratulate all of you for your efforts to strengthen the security apparatus. All the police forces, paramilitary forces, and central agencies have responded promptly in the challenging times, which has also been appreciated by the citizens.”

He said that Jammu and Kashmir, Northeast and Left Wing affected areas were the three hotspots, under PM Modi’s leadership and the situation drastically improved there. “This shows that we are on the right track and our goal lies at the end of our path,” he said.

On the Kashmir issue, Shah said, “In Jammu and Kashmir terror incidents, deaths and terrorist-dominated areas have drastically diminished.”

“Today, we can say that Jammu and Kashmir are slowly heading towards peace and stability. Earlier there was a time when children from Jammu and Kashmir used to leave their homeland to pursue studies. But today 32,000 children from different states are studying there which has enhanced the trust of the people there and also that of the nation,” said the Home Minister.

“The year 2022 broke all the records of tourist football in the region, the total number of tourists stood at 1.80 crores, which shows that the entire nation is convinced that peace is returning to the region. I congratulate Jammu and Kashmir Police, CRPF, BSF, IB, RAW as their efforts are slowly bearing fruit,” Shah added.

Detailing the success achieved in the northeast, the Minister said, “In Northeast India, nine different types of groups have surrendered and signed peace accords and have returned to the mainstream. More than 9,000 insurgents that donned guns earlier now have surrendered and handed over weapons to authorities.”

“Three border disputes among the states in the region have been resolved and I can claim with immense faith that when we will sit together in the next year the remaining four disputes will also stand resolved,” Shah underlined.

He further added, “We have removed AFSPA from 30 per cent of the area in the region. We have not done this to fulfill any political demand. We assessed the situation and removed it after we found it normal. It shows that there is increasing peace in the region and a steep decline of more than 42% in violence has been witnessed.”

Attributing the success to the Prime Minister, the Home Minister said, “Given Prime Minister Modi’s zero-tolerance policy on terror we have strengthened the anti-terror laws, fortified the agencies, and conviction rates have increased. National Investigation Agency has done a commendable job here.”

He further said, “We have attained massive success in taming left-wing terror. In 2010, there were 96 terror-affected districts now there are only 46 districts left. Similarly, 72% of the security vacuum has been plugged and I have complete faith that by 2024 we will plug 100% vacuum and take absolute control of the situation. In left-wing affected regions also all kinds of violence witnessed 40 per cent to 60 per cent decline.”

Stating the success of India in containing the Popular Front of India (PFI) menace, Shah said, “All the states cooperated in nabbing the PFI culprits. It shows the power of India’s cooperative federalism and maturity as a democracy where we can be on the same side on issues related to security.”