No change in Home Ministry's ideology in UPA II: Chidambaram

New Delhi, Feb 7 (ANI): Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Sunday clarified that no change has come in the ideology of his ministry under the present or previous United Progressive Alliance government and it remains the same.

He expressed satisfaction over the interest shown by Chief Ministers in Centre's effort to maintain internal security.

Briefing the media at the end of Chief Minister's conference on internal security, Chidambaram said: There is no change in the ideology of the Home Ministry. It was same during UPA I and continuing in UPA II."

"The Home Ministry is following secular, non-discrimination and pro-Human Rights ideology, if that favours States then all States have taken the matter of internal security seriously," he added.

Chidambaram said: "I am happy that for the first time both Centre and the States are not only on the same page but also they are reading the same song when it comes to internal security."

"I think this a big achievement in itself," he added.

Commenting over repeated rejection of Gujarat Control of Organised Crime Act (GUJCOCA) by the Home Ministry, Chidambaram said: "If an Act passed by the State Government is not in accordance with the last expression of the Parliament, then it will be rejected."

Validity to the confession before the investigating officer and giving more stress to the views of Public Prosecutor were in the Prevention of terrorism Act (POTA). But POTA has been repealed, Chidambaram said.

"When the Maharashtra anti terror law got the signature of the President of India the POTA was the last expression of the Parliament. But the present expression of the parliament doesn't have POTA clauses in its mind, so the Home Ministry recommended to the President of India in accordance with the last expression of the parliament, Chidambaram added.

The conference discussed the police modernisation process in detail and most of the states expressed willingness to increase the budgetary allocation under the head "Police."

"We brought to the notice of the states that the budgetary allocation made under the head Police is very meagre and they acknowledged the fact and assured to correct it," Chidambaram said.

Police strength remains an acute problem to the country.

As on January 2009 the total number of police personnel actually in place in all States and Union Territory s was 14,70,837.

It increased to 15,04,153 by September 2009 and is projected to increase to 15,81,439 by March 2010.

"About 1,10,000 police personnel have been or will be recruited in a period of 15 months that signals a positive response to the trauma of 26/11, and kindly note that we are filling the vacancies which are neglected from the last five to six years so it will take time," Chidambaram said.

"Many states have assured to achieve Zero Vacancy" at the earliest, Pondichery already achieved it, Gujarat assured to achieve it by March and Maharashtra by the end of this year," he added

Chidambaram informed that the Centre has also asked the states to send the list of new arms to be procured, so that the Home Ministry can giver orders for the same at one time. (ANI)