Stating about the ground realities of border areas, Gujarat CM, Shri Narendra Modi While speaking at the Internal Security Meeting chaired by Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, today apprised that he had extensively toured these border areas of Gujarat. He found that more than 2/3rd of the international border is yet to be fenced. Even where fencing has been completed, due to special characteristics of the terrain it has deteriorated in many places. The road construction adjoining the international border fencing is also highly inadequate. The modern technology should extensively be used in these border areas whether it is in terms of construction technology or use of solar lights for lighting of international border. He emphasized an early construction of Godhuli-Santalpur border road. Suggested for hardship allowance to BSF Jawans. He even mentioned that Election Commission of India should not divert BSF etc from border for election duty. He also emphasized the need to be well equipped the Indian Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Police in terms of boats and trained manpower to keep a constant vigil on marine infiltration. Looking to the sensitiveness of the State with long sea and land border, regional deployment of NSG and Marine commandos should be considered.

Advocating the need to set up a ‘National Marine Security Authority’, Gujarat CM said that he had put the demand before the Prime Minister earlier also for the said Authority with all powers to collect information from different intelligence agencies and act upon the same.

Expressing his dissatisfaction about not working of Vessel Traffic Monitoring System (VTMS) in the Gulf of Kutch even after a passage of five years, Shri Narendra Modi said that Ministry of Surface Transport must take up this on a top priority. He said that Govt of Gujarat is prepared to provide necessary help to Navy and Coast Guard to set up more stations in Gulf of Kutch area to avoid delay in initiating emergency operations.

He raised the issue of Fisherman boats being captured by Pakistan and not brought back along with fishermen. These boats became tool in the hands of terrorists.

He underlined once again his earlier suggestion of setting up an All India Intelligence Service on the pattern of IAS, IPS in order to provide qualitative and trained manpower on an all India basis. Officers of this service will always remain dedicated to this purpose.

Gujarat, which already has a state of the art Forensic Science Laboratory at Gandhinagar, has recently set up a Forensic Sciences University to meet the growing demand of Forensic scientists in the country.

Gujarat Govt has also proposed to set up a Police University (Raksha Shakti University) in the State to impart holistic knowledge in police administration and criminal justice. The University will run Diploma, Degree and Postgraduate courses in various disciplines related to policing and maintenance of law and order to prepare a trained pool of manpower at various levels in the police/para military forces and even private security agencies.

Gujarat CM also urged the GOI to sanction the entire scheme of Coastal security submitted by Gujarat Government with an estimate plan of Rs.392.47 crores in view of State’s 1600 Km long sensitive coastline. He urged for early supply of 30 high speed boats sanctioned under Coastal Security Scheme, even by importing the same.

On national issues:

Modi expressed his reservations on the amendment to Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and National Investigation Agency Bill and said that even after waiting for four and a half years, the Bill still lacks certain most important aspects as the Bill by nature is reactive and not pro-active. He raised questions on the focus and determination to face the challenges of terrorism. He urged that the Central Govt should display its resolve to fight terrorism head-on to instill confidence in 100-Crore citizens. Shri Modi emphasized the need for a stringent anti-terror law and added that UPA Govt has made a mockery of the anti-terror law as confession before Police Officer is not taken as evidence. How Pakistan will accept our testimony when our own law does not accept Mumbai blasts accused, Kasab’s confession as evidence. He wondered, had Kasab been caught in Gujarat, law of the land could hardly deal with him strongly because of non-existence of a stringent Act.

Emphasizing the need to fight terrorism together both by Centre and States, Gujarat CM expressed his dissatisfaction about the hasty manner in which the National Investigation agency has been set up by side-tracking the States and taking upon by itself (Centre) the responsibility of fighting national terrorism.

He termed amendment in Cr.PC as depriving Police force of teeth to keep criminals at bay.

Shri Modi also emphasized on complete consensus and agreement among the major political parties and groups in the country to fight against terrorism.

Gujarat Minister of State for Home Shri Amit Shah, Addl Chief Secretary, Shri Balwant Singh, Resident Commissioner Shri Prem Kumar Gera, Secretary to CM Shri G C Murmu and DGP Shri P C Pandey also attended the meeting.