Our Correspondent / New Delhi
Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh Tuesday took a tough class of state DGP and chief secretaries of North Eastern States saying crime is increasing in their areas because of poor quality of investigation and low prosecution and conviction rates.
The Union Home Minister said, though most part of the North-east has become free from militancy. But due to large number of illegal arms, the crime rate is still high. “I would advise the all State DGPs to launch massive campaign against illegal arms traders and holders,” Singh said.
The meeting was convened by the Union Home Ministry to review the internal security situation of the North Eastern States, which was attended by the State DGPs and Chief Secretaries.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the meeting which was also joined by Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval and senior officers from the Central Government and North Eastern States.
“Unfortunately, prosecution and conviction ratio in criminal case in some North Eastern State is very poor. In one State the prosecution ratio is only five per cent in comparison to all India average of 86 per cent. In some States, kidnapping, abduction, extortion are rampant, But in all such cases ratio of prosecution and conviction is less than one per cent, which is un- acceptable”, Singh said.
“When a criminal goes scot free from court then people losses his confidence in the justice system. When the ratio of acquittal is so high then moral legitimacy of the State is undermined and at the same time it incentivises the crime. The basic reason of high number of acquittal is result of poor investigation. It has been observed that scientific tools are not being adequately used during investigation,” the Union Home Minister said.
“If we think about future security threats radicalisation has emerged as a big challenge. Radicalisation is a trans-national phenomenon. If it is not stopped, it could take form of terrorism. North-east is very vulnerable to such threats, so it is necessary to identify the agents of radicalisation.
Some operate in the garb of religion and some in garb of NGO-socio-cultural- economic development. Their activities should be closely monitored and if necessary preventive action should be taken. Funding of such organisation could be from abroad. So flow of foreign funds should be closely monitored, Singh said.
He also raised the issue of repatriation of Bru tribal from Tripura to Mizoram. The grant of citizenship to Chakmas and Hajongs pending for long should be resolved. Resolution of these issues will lead to decrease in crime and tensions. All concern State should take urgent steps to resolve these issues.