Book of Integration Council New - Ministry of Home Affairs

MAJOR GENERAL (RETD.) SHRI B. C. KHANDURI, AVSM
CHIEF MINISTER, UTTARAKHAND
Hon'ble Prime Minister, Hon'ble Home Minister, Hon'ble Ministers of the
Union Cabinet, Hon'ble Chief Ministers, distinguished members, ladies and
gentlemen,
I feel honoured to address this august body. The agenda items of this
meeting are of the utmost importance. No other issue today can be as important
and crucial as the prevention of terrorism and maintainance of communal harmony,
so far as National Integration is concerned. I shall, therefore, begin with important
issues regarding National Integration like Terrorism and Communal harmony.
Terrorism is a hydra headed monster that needs to be crushed by a national
resolution fully supported by national will and determination. It should be crushed
at all cost, where-ever and in what-ever from it exists or appears. Terrorism
should be given a legal definition to include all unlawful violence and acts which
are intended to create fear for the perpetration of an ideological goal. Besides
creating immense social and human sufferings, terrorism targets and disregards
the safety of the peaceful citizens. Here terrorism should also include politically
and emotionally charged unconventional and psychological violent activities which
are intended to cause death or servere bodily harm to civilians and damage to
private and public property. Intimidation as a means to enforce an ideology, is
anathema in civilized society. The nation as a whole must stand up to end
calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate
fear. The unholy pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious or
ideological, must now come to an end.
The Government of India should immediately enact a law in line with
POTA and provide all institutional and infrastructural logistics and support to
all State Governments for the enactment and implementation of State laws in
this regard. We must keep in mind that softness in dealing with
terrorists in any part of the country would ultimately endanger the society or
the nation as a whole.
Let me add that communalism is another bane on our country. It is the
largest democracy in the world. It hits at the roots of the cherished democratic
values enshrined in our Constitution, that is VASUDHAIV KUTUMBAKAM. It
is an affront to the dignity of human beings as the citizens of this country.
Unfortunately, certain communal forces in society engage in exploitation,
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