Don’t use violence in protests: PC
Home minister P. Chidambaram on Saturday said the use of violence as an instrument of protest was the biggest challenge before the country.
“While the old evils such as communalism, casteism and parochialism remain,
there are new challenges as well. The biggest challenge is the use of violence as an instrument of protest or an instrument of change,” he said in his address at the National Integration Council meeting here.
He said that “insurgency, militancy and terrorism threaten to unravel the idea of India”.
Addressing the gathering of chief ministers of all states, leaders of national political parties, regional political parties, chairpersons of National Commissions, eminent public figures and representatives from business, labour, media and women, Mr Chidambaram said that while it is natural to focus on the violent attacks of terrorist groups, due attention must be given to the violence unleashed by ideologically-driven left-wing extremists and recalcitrant separatist groups in the north-eastern states.
While referring to the agenda being discussed at the meeting, he said each one of the four agenda items has the same underlying theme — violence which threatens to destroy the foundation of our national life.
The four agenda items included communal violence, discrimination against minorities, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, civil disturbances and the radicalisation of youth in the name of religion and caste which emboldens them to take to the path of violence.
“I would like to ask this Council to guide us on how to deal with the issues that are included in the agenda. In particular, I would like to ask you whether the institutions that we have - of both government and civil society — are adequate to meet these grave challenges and, if they are not, how do we strengthen these institutions or set up new institutions,” home minister Chidambaram said.
Post new comment