Karnataka to set up Security Commission

Karnataka has proposed to appointment of honorary Police Officers selected from among the local community to help maintain communal harmony and a State Level Security Commission. In his address to the National Integration Council meeting in New Delhi on Monday, Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said the formation of Integration Council, at the State district and taluk levels would help to maintain communal harmony in the State. The Union Government should substantially enhance financial assistance to the States for the modernization of State Police and the strengthening of anti-terrorist capabilities. "It is our view that todays meeting should deliberate upon and come out with strong and effective measures to be taken to strengthen national integration," he said. The meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, was attended by Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Chief Ministers of all states and Union Ministers.

On behalf of the Government of Karnataka, the Chief Minister suggested to the Government of India be proactive in extending assistance to State Governments to tackle the increase in terrorist threats, especially, those funded and supported by external forces.

Other suggestions of the Karnataka Government are:

• The Union Government should take effective steps to stop infiltration of terrorists from across the western and eastern borders of our country. All foreigners overstaying and fomenting communal trouble should be identified and deported.
• The Ministries of External Affairs and Home Affairs together should bring in stringent VISA norms on the lines of U.S.A. and European Countries for citizens of certain nations harboring terrorists.
• A national citizens registry should be created at the earliest. Government of India should provide the template for all states to enable uniformity. Karnataka offers to become the pilot state for issue of multi-purpose national identity card for the purpose.
• The Government of India should initiate immediate action to trace the sources of foreign funding for the terrorist organizations which are operating in the country and curb their further funding.
• The Union Government should come out with a Central Legislation to handle terrorist activities, similar to PoTA, 2000. The new Act should also facilitate action to curb high-tech crimes associated with terrorist activities. It is heartening to note that the Administrative Reforms Commission, appointed by the Union Government under the Chairmanship of Senior Congress leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister, M Veerappa Moily, has strongly supported the need for a stringent anti-terrorist law.
• The Government of India also needs to consider bringing a Central Legislation to prevent forcible and induced religious conversions.
• The Union Government should, as soon as possible, introduce a federal law and set up a separate federal agency to deal with terrorist acts and organized crime and cyber crimes.
• The NDA Government had set up a committee under the chairmanship of Justice V.S.Malimath, former Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, for overhauling the Criminal Justice System in India. Its recommendations should be implemented expeditiously.
• There should be effective and productive coordination between the Central Intelligence Agencies and the State Intelligence Agencies. The Central Intelligence Agencies should share relevant information on a continuous basis with the States.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs should maintain a cordial relationship with the States based on equality and functionality, instead of treating them as subordinate offices meant for receiving letters and instructions from the Centre.
• The Central Government should help the States in building the capacity of State Police in handling terrorist activities through intensive special training programmes at national and international Institutions.

The Council meeting is being held after a long gap of three years, Mr. Yeddyurappa said and urged the Centre to hold the meeting regularly at least once a year.

"In fact, I firmly believe that such meetings should also be held regularly at the State, District and Taluk levels and we, in Karnataka, have already initiated steps towards this direction," Yeddyurappa said.

Karnataka has all along been known for peaceful co-existence and communal harmony. In recent times, however, its peace is being disturbed by terrorists and communal forces. The shoot out at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore three years ago, the recent serial bomb blasts in July 2008 in Bangalore, the defusing of some bombs and arrests of suspects in the northern parts of the State recently, prove the point that the terrorists are spreading their network even in a peaceful State like Karnataka.

He said "terrorism" is an international phenomenon and it affects our national security. It is a social cancer which is spreading its poison across the globe. When mixed with religion, it becomes doubly lethal. Many of us in the State Governments feel that more steps need to be taken to tackle the issue of terrorism. It also appears that the central government is soft pedaling this issue.

It may be recalled that those behind the series of bomb blasts in several Churches in Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra which occurred in 1999-2000, were traced out by the Karnataka Police. The involvement of Deendaar Anjuman was overwhelmingly indicated.

"While red corner notices have been issued through Interpol New Delhi, key persons identified are yet to be brought to trial in India. On the other hand, the Supreme Court very recently upheld the Centers decision to ban Deendar Anjuman, for carrying out anti-national activities," he said.

The Chief Minister said the Government in Karnataka has given top most priority for maintaining peace and harmony and law and order in the State. Our Government is committed to the welfare and development of the religious and linguistic minorities. "We are interested in the real socio-economic upliftment of the minorities instead of lip sympathy and mere appeasement. We have increased the allocation for minorities by 46% in our first Budget presented in July 2008. Even though there was not a single elected Muslim MLA in our party, we appointed a well known Muslim scholar as a Cabinet Minister," the Chief Minister said.

A Muslim woman has been nominated to the Karnataka Wakf Board, based on the recommendation of Muslim scholars. Also for the first time, we have set up a Working Group to prepare a Vision Document for the long term and sustainable development of Minorities. Our endeavor is to mainstream the minorities and remove the feeling of alienation among them through genuine efforts. This alone will bring about communal harmony and national integration, Mr. Yeddyurappa said.

He said Christians and Hindus have co-existed peacefully in the State for many centuries. The unconstitutional and illegal efforts by some of the Christian organizations, such as 'New Life', to forcibly convert or to induce conversion to Christianity in recent times need therefore to be noted by one and all with concern. Apart from monetary inducements, their efforts include publishing provocative booklets such as "Satya Darshini" which denigrate Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Our Constitution provides for Freedom of Religion but no one can justify forcible or induced conversion. The activities of 'New Life' and other such organizations are unconstitutional and are creating disharmony and social tensions.

Stating the details of recent communal unreset, Yeddyurappa said that on 14th September 2008, there were some attacks on Christian religious places in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Chikkamagalur Districts by mobs protesting against conversions leading to law and order situation in these districts. "I, along with the State Home Minister, visited the trouble spots very next day. Due to the effective and immediate steps taken by the State Government, peace and normalcy were restored within two days," he said.

"We all know that there have been serious communal and terrorist incidents in other States such as Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Tripura, NCT of Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. The Union Government did not appear to be keen to send advisory notes, referred to as notices under Article 355 by the Union Home Secretary, on those occasions inspite of the gravity of the situations. And yet, in respect of Karnataka, just two days of troubles was enough to cause the Central Government to send two advisory notes in quick succession, even though the situation was brought under control promptly," the Chief Minister said.

There was no need to send a Central team to Karnataka, even after law and order was restored and for those officers to speak to the press even before submitting a report to the Union Home Ministry, especially, when a judicial enquiry had already been ordered. Such steps, which appear politically motivated, he said adding that "we feel aggravated the communal tensions rather than reducing them."

The Chief Minister highlighted some of the proactive steps for promoting national integration and communal harmony. Some of them are:

1. Reaching out to all sections of the people irrespective of caste or creed or community in our weekly Janaspandana meetings at Hobli (below taluk) level, to receive and resolve complaints.
2. Ensuring that the Peace Committees hold regular consultations with the leaders of different communities and organizations.
3. Instituting a judicial inquiry to probe into the recent attacks on some churches.
4. Arrest of all suspected miscreants in these incidents irrespective of caste, creed and community.
5. Organizing a series of meetings with Christian community leaders and priests.