PM calls NIC meeting next month to discuss internal security

New Delhi, Sep 17 (UNI) Prime Minister Monmohan Singh has convened a meeting of the National Integartion Council next month to discuss a host of issues, including internal security.

''We hope, we will be able to frankly and sincerely discuss some of these issues and reach a national consensus,'' Dr Singh told the Governors' Conference here today.

He said the recent controversy relating to the temporary allotment of land to the Amarnath Shrine Board had offset some of the gains made in improving security in Jammu and Kashmir.

''The situation is still fragile and needs careful handling,'' he added.

He expressed serious concern over dissent and agitations finding expression in mindless destruction of public propoerty, attacks on police posts and other Government establishments.

''Increasingly, these types of outburts are found to be centred on identity-based issues,'' he said.

''This is a matter of the utmost concern, and calls for the most serious introspection at the national level.'' He also spoke about naxalism and left wing extremism posing a challenge to development and the social and economic uplift of the people in some of the most backward regions of the country.

The problem, he said, had acquired such scale in some regions that it cannot be dealt with by individual state governments, and needed better coordination between State governments and better coordination between States and the Centre.

''We need an integrated approach that addresses both the challenges of maintaining peace and security for our people and providing livelihood security and promoting development,''he added.

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