Punjab CM seeks CAPFs to tackle Pakistan-backed terror outfits
Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 10 Aug, 2021 10:50 AM
New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) Citing the escalating threat to the state's security from across the border, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah to urgently provide 25 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and anti-drone gadgets to the Border Security Force for protection from Pakistan-backed terror forces.
Citing the recent heavy influx of weapons, hand grenades, and IEDs into the state, with Pakistan's ISI also raising the ante ahead of the Independence Day and in the run-up to the Assembly polls, he told Shah at a meeting here this evening that the security situation was grave and needed the Centre's immediate intervention.
Amarinder Singh sought CAPF deployment for Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Mohali, Patiala, Bathinda, Phagwara, and Moga, as well as anti-drone technology for the BSF deployed at the borders.
He pointed to the potent threat to the security of vital infrastructure, installations and public meetings and events being attended by highly threatened individuals.
Citing inputs from central and state agencies, corroborated by disclosures made by arrested terrorists, Amarinder Singh said potential individual and mass indiscriminate targets include trains, buses, Hindu temples and outfits, and prominent farmer leaders.
Some specific inputs about five such farmer leaders had been received but they had refused to take security.
The Chief Minister apprised Shah about the recent efforts by the ISI and the Pakistani establishment to push large quantities of weapons, hand grenades, RDX explosive, detonators, timer devices, and sophisticated laboratory-made "tiffin bombs" into Punjab for carrying out terrorist acts.
"With the Punjab Assembly elections scheduled for February-March 2022, many militant and radical operatives are being pressurised by the ISI to carry out terrorist actions. These are very serious and worrisome developments having huge security implications for the border state and its people," he warned.
He reminded the Home Minister about the earlier targeted killings masterminded by the ISI, including that of RSS, Shiv Sena and Dera leaders in 2016, ahead of the last Assembly polls.
The Maur bomb blast On January 31, 2017 was carried out just three days prior to the polling day on February 4, he noted.
While launching the vision card for Delhi for the next 25 years, Kejriwal said the initiative is to prepare a roadmap for the development of the city in all sectors, including health and education.
The journalists body also sought issuance of guidelines on surveillance on Indian citizens and safeguarding them from electronic surveillance, spying and hacking.
In a written reply to an unstarred question in the Lower House, the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, said that three cases have been registered by the Delhi Police in connection with the violent attacks on students and some teachers on the JNU campus last year.
The 79-year-old Governor's actions "led to outrage" at the Cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and ministers of all three allies - Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress - present.
Incessant rains last week coupled with huge volumes of water from the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) have led to flood-like situation in seven districts of West Bengal, leaving at least 8 dead and displacing over 3 lakh people from their homes in the last four days.
The government is implementing market information system where the prices of vegetables are collected through Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis and disseminated for its use by the farmers through Agmarknet portal, mobile applications etc. for better price realisation, he said.
