PM to hold CMs meet tomorrow to discuss terrorism, naxal violence

New Delhi, Sept 4 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will chair a meeting of Chief Ministers of all states tomorrow to discuss the issues related to internal security with special focus on the recent terror attacks and spurt in naxal violence and growing communal divide on the rendition of Vande Mataram.

The annual meeting on Internal Security to be held at the 7, Race Course Road residence of the Prime Minister is expected to be attended by all the Chief Ministers except those of Tamil Nadu and Sikkim. Lt Governors of all the UTs and Chief Minister of Pondicherry would also attend the meeting.

Prevention and combating terrorism in the hinterland will be a major issue for deliberation in the wake of recent Mumbai bomb blasts, attacks in Varanasi and in Bangalore.

It would also deliberate on issues like tackling naxal violence which has seen a spurt of late in many states of the country. The increase in naxalite violence, specially in states like Chhattisgarh and Orissa, is a major area of concern for the government.

The meeting, being held close on the heels of a meeting with the Chief Ministers of 13 naxalite-hit states to augment security, is likely to discuss creation of a separate police force to effectively deal with the problems of terrorism and naxalism as suggested by President A P J Abdul Kalam last week.

In the wake of the Mumbai blasts, both Mr Kalam and Dr Singh have called for launching a war on terrorism, aided and abetted from across the border.

The meeting is expected to come out with measures to strengthen intelligence gathering relating to terrorist activities. It would also discuss steps to sensitise the security forces, particularly police, to take intelligence inputs seriously so that terror strikes could be prevented in time.

The meeting would also discuss the situation in North East where many insurgent groups like ULFA and NSCN are active. The Centre is holding talks with many of these militant groups to convince them to shun violence and join the mainstream.

The situation in Jammu and Kashmir would also come up for discussion.

Maintenance of communal harmony, especially in view of the recent controversy surrounding the rendition of the national song Vande Mataram, would be another area of attention at the meeting.

''It will be a brief, action-oriented meeting,'' according to sources in the Home Ministry.

It would begin with the welcome address by Home Minister Shiv Raj Patil followed by the inaugural speech by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Thereafter the discussion on the agenda would take place in which various Chief Ministers would participate.

Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan would also address the gathering. Senior officials of the Centre and state governments, including state chief secretaries, would participate in the annual meeting.

UNI AJ YA RN1806