Book of Integration Council New - Ministry of Home Affairs
Book of Integration Council New - Ministry of Home Affairs
Book of Integration Council New - Ministry of Home Affairs
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SHRI NARENDRA MODI<br />
CHIEF MINISTER, GUJARAT<br />
Respected Prime Minister and the Chairman <strong>of</strong> the National <strong>Integration</strong><br />
<strong>Council</strong> Shri Man Mohan Singhji, Honorable Union <strong>Home</strong> Minister Shri Shivraj<br />
Patil, Honorable Union Ministers, Honorable Chief Ministers and Ladies and<br />
gentlemen,<br />
I am happy to attend this meeting <strong>of</strong> the National <strong>Integration</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
which is constitued to address issues affecting national solidarity and integration.<br />
This forum provides us an opportunity to deliberate on many important subjects<br />
like regionalism, extremism, regional imbalance, narrow mindedness etc. and<br />
arrive at agreeable solution. I wish the agenda had been circulated well in<br />
advance so as to enable us to make meaningful contribution on these important<br />
issues.<br />
This meeting <strong>of</strong> the National <strong>Integration</strong> <strong>Council</strong> has been convened at a<br />
time when many states were target <strong>of</strong> series <strong>of</strong> bomb blasts and when innocent<br />
citizens were subjected to the ominous designs <strong>of</strong> subversive, anti national<br />
elements hell-bent upon creating terror and chaos in the country. However, I<br />
am shocked to find that the issues <strong>of</strong> terrorism do not find any mention in the<br />
agenda, though it has direct bearing <strong>of</strong> the national integration. The agenda<br />
include more developmental issues which should have been discussed in the<br />
forum <strong>of</strong> the National Development <strong>Council</strong>. Also, I feel that it would have<br />
been appropriate if the action taken report on the earlier <strong>Council</strong> meeting was<br />
included in the agenda.<br />
With these observations, I would like to touch upon the agenda <strong>of</strong> today's<br />
meeting and take liberty to make some suggestions for the consideration <strong>of</strong><br />
this august body and the Union government.<br />
1. Economic Development and Removal <strong>of</strong> Regional Imbalances :<br />
Terrorism, Naxalism, insurgency and illegal migration from Bangladesh are<br />
all detrimental to the nation's development. Equitable and balanced regional<br />
development is <strong>of</strong>ten affected by such menaces as these negative forces spread<br />
terror, spread insecurity and even deprive our poor <strong>of</strong> their livelihood. Naxalism<br />
has affected many parts <strong>of</strong> our country disrupting development and growth<br />
process, while illegal migrants have snatched away the employment and livelihood<br />
opportunities <strong>of</strong> many <strong>of</strong> our poor people. Terrorist have targeted relatively<br />
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