Violence declining in Manipur; fight against J-K terrorism in last leg: Modi

Speaking in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday (July 3), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said violence was continuously declining in Manipur and schools had reopened in most part of the state, and efforts were being made to ensure a complete return of peace.

500 held, 11,000 FIRs

Replying to a debate on the motion to thank President Droupadi Murmu for her address to a joint sitting of parliament, the prime minister said more than 500 people have been arrested and over 11,000 FIRs have been registered in Manipur.

He added that the Centre was working with the state government and others to restore normalcy in the state.

Mentioning that Manipur was also facing a flood situation, Modi said the Centre had dispatched two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to the state.

Fight against terrorism in J-K in last leg

Talking about Jammu and Kashmir, Modi asserted that the fight against terrorism is in its last stage, and a multi-pronged strategy has been adopted to destroy the remaining terror network.

The prime minister emphasised that terror incidents have declined in the Union Territory in the past 10 years. Terror and separatism are ending and the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir are leading this fight, he said.

“Our fight against terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, in a way, is in its last stage, last leg. We are moving with a multi-pronged strategy to eliminate the remaining terror network there,” Modi said.

Tourism in Kashmir on the rise

The prime minister said during the past several decades, shutdowns, strikes, terrorist threats, and attempts to carry out blasts have been like a dark shadow on democracy.

“This time, people have decided their fate with unwavering faith in the Constitution. I especially congratulate the voters of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

He also noted that tourism activities were on the rise and setting new records and that investment, too, was increasing.

Voting figures

Modi highlighted that the voting figures in the recent Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir broke the records of the past four decades.

“They accept the Constitution of India, the democracy of India, the Election Commission of India. This is a huge success,” he said.

In August 2019, the BJP-led NDA government had abrogated Section 370 of the Constitution, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir (now bifurcated into UTs of Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir).

“Full freedom” to probe agencies

Talking about corruption and black money, he vowed to continue with the crackdowns, saying the government had given “full freedom” to probe agencies to take the strongest action against the corrupt.

The prime minister said no one would be spared in the crackdown.

Modi asserted that taking action against corruption was a mission for the NDA government and not a matter of electoral gains.

“No corrupt person will escape the law”

“I want to state without hesitation…that I have given full freedom to the agencies to take the strongest action against the corrupt and corruption. The government will not interfere anywhere,” the prime minister said.

“Yes, they (probe agencies) should work honestly, for honesty. No person embroiled in corruption will be able to escape the law. This is Modi’s guarantee,” the prime minister said.

CBI under UPA regime

Referring to the Opposition members’ charge that the government was misusing the probe agencies, Modi cited statements made by Opposition leaders such as the late Mulayam Singh Yadav who had accused the UPA government of using the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against them.

He pointed out that even the Supreme Court had termed the CBI as a “caged parrot”.

“Allegations have been made against the central investigative agencies. It has been said that the central government is misusing the investigative agencies.

Congress and AAP

He also took potshots at the Congress for first levelling serious allegations with evidence against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and later forming an alliance with it to fight the Lok Sabha elections. The Congress should now answer whether those proofs were true or false, he said.

“The AAP commits liquor scam, the AAP commits corruption, the AAP commits scam in building classrooms for children, the AAP even commits water scam… The Congress complains against the AAP. The Congress drags the AAP to court, and if action is taken, they abuse Modi,” the prime minister said.

Now the AAP and the Congress have become partners, he said, and dared the AAP to demand an answer from the Congress.

“Action against corruption our mission”

Modi asserted that in 2014, when the BJP came to power at the Centre, he had vowed that the government would work for the welfare of the poor and also take actions against corruption and black money.

“Action against corruption is a mission for us. It is not a matter of victory or defeat in elections for us,” he added.

(With agency inputs)