Govt keeps constant watch on terror outfits

New Delhi, Dec 4: The Government has received inputs about the activities of terrorist outfits, such as Laskhar-e-Toiba(LeT), from time to time and necessary action was taken whenever required, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Shriprakash Jaiswal in a written reply said the policy of the Government was to counter the challenge posed by terrorism through a multi-pronged strategy. In pursuance of this strategy, the Government had taken various measures on political, security and development fronts. The Government was willing to talk to all those groups who agree to abjure violence, he added.

On the security front, the counter terrorism measures include effective border management to check infiltration across the borders, deployment of Central forces to aid the state police forces in areas prone to terrorist violence, heightening of vigilance and security arrangements and around vital installations, strengthening of intelligence gathering and sharing capabilities, particularly at the cutting edge level, Mr Jaiswal noted.

Augmentation and modernisation of police forces and raising of Indian Reserve Battalions, ensuring improved technology, weaponry and equipment with the Central and state police forces and steps taken to achieve bilateral and multilateral cooperation to deal with the global imperatives of terrorism were some more measures to check terrorism, he informed.

On the development front, a variety of measures were taken to accelerate developmental activities in the areas affected by terrorism or extremism, he said.

Responding to another question Mr Jaiswal denied reports that Government has received warning from Al-Badr regarding possibility of terror attacks on the religious places, fair or function places and vital installations in the country, particularly in Haryana.

Mr Jaiswal, however, said two Al-Badr terrorists arrested in Mysore revealed their plan to target various important installations and institutions. Inputs regarding the possible threats by terrorist elements to target religious places, vital installations, important buildings, crowded places and mass transit system were received from time to time and the same was shared with all the states.

He said the Governemnt remained firmly committed to counter the challenge posed by terrorism. Towards this end, a multi-pronged strategy was being pursued in close conjunction with state governments, which involved measures to check infiltration from across the borders, deployment of Central Security Forces in areas prone to terrorist violence, continuous vigilance and strengthening of security arrangements in vulnerable areas and around vital installations, sharing of intelligence, strengthening of state police forces and upgradation of their capabilities to deal with terrorist activities through the schemes of Police Modernisation and raising of Indian Reserve Battalions.

Efforts were also being made to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation at the international level with the aim of combating terrorism through arrangements for Mutual Legal Assistance, Extradition Treaties, exchange of information and intelligence , Mr Jaiswal added.

UNI