New Delhi, Aug 26: Voicing serious concern over the ongoing unrest in Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday highlighted the need to “revisit” standard operating procedures and crowd control measures by security forces and the police to deal with the mass protests.
“Despite the curtailment of militant activities in Jammu and Kashmir, the public order dimension in the state has become a cause of serious concern,” he said addressing the three-day Conference of Directors General and Inspectors General of Police here.
“We need to revisit standard operating procedures and crowd control measures to deal with public agitations with non-lethal, yet effective and focused measures. We also cannot have an approach of one size fits all” the Prime Minister stressed.
His comments come against the backdrop security forces in J&K facing flak for the killing of over 60 civilians in police action to quell violent protesters since June this year.
Singh asked Home Minister P Chidambaram to establish a high-powered task force to come out with a set of recommendations on non-lethal crowd control measures in the next two to three months.
He said that instead of single standard sequence for the use of force, other countries have put in place procedures that vary according to the situation.
The Prime Minister cited the experience of Rapid Action Force for non-lethal crowd control which has been successful saying it should be examined for being followed by other police forces also.
The Prime Minister said policing in the country has become increasingly complex over the years. Social tensions, religious disputes, growing economic disparities and regional, linguistic and ethnic differences have long been major challenges to effective policing in the country, he said.
“But of late the growing presence of non-state actors, fundamentalist groups and left wing extremists has further complicated matters,” he said.
Singh said there was need to do much more to meet the challenge of Naxalism.
“We recognise that the Naxalites are our own people and are ready to talk to them provided they abjure the path of violence. We also stand committed to making special efforts to develop the areas affected by Naxal violence, many of which are inhibited predominantly by our tribal brothers and sisters,” he said.
Singh said the writ of the state should be firmly established in all these areas and the state police and the central paramilitary forces should take firm action against those who take the law into their own hands.
During the two-day conference, the top police brass of the country is deliberating internal security issues like cross border terrorism, Maoist violence, situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast and better coordination among state police forces.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
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