New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) Indian Mujahideen (IM) draws its "motivation and sustenance from inimical forces" in Pakistan, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said Thursday and added that the outfit was responsible for major terror attacks in the country this year.
Addressing the annual Directors General of Police Conference here, Shinde said India faces multifarious challenges to its internal security in the form of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, insurgency in the northeast, the threat of Left-wing extremism and terrorism in the hinterland of the country.
Shinde also spoke of the need to curb mischievous use of social media to foment trouble and noted that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir continues to be a challenge.
He said some leaders of a faction of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) opposing peace talks had taken refuge in neighbouring countries, particularly Myanmar, and effective management was needed to prevent trans-border movement of such outfits.
Shinde said attempts were made to vitiate communal harmony, especially in the States of Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.
He said the security forces need to vigorously pursue leads emerging from investigations in terror cases.
"Indian Mujahideen, which draws its motivation and sustenance from inimical forces operating from across the western border has been responsible for three out of four major terror attacks in our hinterland this year," he said.
The home minister said the IM was responsible for twin blasts in Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh, and series of blasts in Bodhgaya and Patna in Bihar.
Shinde said the blast in Banglore earlier this year was handiwork of some misguided fundamentalist youth and remnants of Al-Ummah, and noted that all cases have been successfully worked out.
"Our security forces have to remain constantly alert and act in a cohesive manner to deal with the multifarious challenges," Shinde said.
He said that multi-agency centre had emerged as an effective platform for coordination in fight against terrorism and its scope was being extended to more than 450 districts in the country.
Referring to the threat of Left-wing extremism, he said the central government remains committed to root out the menace.
"The driving force to deal with this problem must come from local initiatives led by the States," he said.
Referring to increase in targeted attacks on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, Shinde said the attacks indicate a nefarious game plan hatched across the border to demoralise security forces and show the people of the state that the capabilities of militants remain undiminished.
The home minister also pointed to ceasefire violations and said security forces cannot afford to lower their guard, particularly in view of the Lok Sabha and assembly elections in 2014.
He said many of agreements for ceasefire and suspension of operations in the northeast were being flouted by militants who were indulging in extortion, affecting the lives of common people and added that state police needs to enforce these accords.
Shinde said six states had witnessed a rising trend in the number of communal incidents this year and the most disturbing communal clashes took place in Muzaffarnagar and its adjoining areas.
"In most of these states, the triggering factors for communal incidents were trivial in nature and could have been nipped in the bud by effective, prompt and unbiased administrative action," he said.
Shinde said district administrations should put in place an early warning system for immediate detection of communal issues and constant engagement should be maintained with communities, particularly in disturbance prone areas.
He also referred to attempts being made to revive militancy in certain states by unleashing distorted narrative about emotive events and issues on internet to mislead the youth.
Referring to misuse of social media, he said Muzaffarnagar riots were fanned by such misuse.
He said it was duty of police to ensure safety of people, particularly senior citizens, women, minorities and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.
"Police stations remain central to all security related activities. It is extremely important to strengthen this vital institution," he said.
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