Police force in NER requires intensive training: Mark Tully

New Delhi, Mar 8 (UNI) There is an urgent need for intensive training programme for the police force in the entire North Eastern Region (NER) to tackle the militancy with a ''human face'', said the former India Bureau Chief of the BBC Mark Tully.

Addressing the third lecture series programme organised by the Assam Association, Delhi as a part of their Golden Jubilee celebration here today Mr Tully said the government has copied the British style of policing but they have forgotten that Britishers were doing it not for themselves.

He said for changing the perspective of the region, media has a great role to play by projecting and focusing the positive aspects from the region.

Mr Tully said he felt that the crime or the militancy stories should not be played up as that could not bring any credit for the region rather it would push the region towards that direction.

He said it is strange that evenafter 60 years of Independence the national outlook towards the NER has not changed.

He advised the various organisations of the region to take people from the media from different region and give then an indepth view and feelings of the region and only than one could expect some changes in the national media towards the NER.

Speakers at the meet pointed out that it is only in the NER that no " cash card mobile" functions and it is a shame on the people of NER as it shows that the Centre has no respect for the people of the region, they felt.

UNI BKS KK RAI1955