Security forces must upgrade technology to fight cyber terrorism, says Rajnath Singh

Expressing satisfaction at the work being done by the security forces against naxals in Jharkhand, the Home Minister reiterated that these will be uprooted. Referring to naxals, Singh said: “You are keeping your brother poor in order to exploit him. And then you kill him thinking that you are brave. This will not do.” Singh added that demonetisation has broken the back of the naxal forces and tougher measures would be initiated to wipe them off.

Asking the CISF to develop as a multi-dimensional force, which was not restricted to only providing security to industrial units, Singh said that the Indian economy at present was at two trillion dollars. “In the next seven to eight years, it is likely to reach seven trillion dollars and, in 15-year time, we could be among world’s top three economies. Naturally, anti-national forces will try to derail this process,” he said, adding that the recent announcement of increasing CISF cadres from 1.45 lakh to 1.80 lakh would also fall short.

The CISF’s Eastern Sector headquarter has been shifted from Patna to Ranchi after it was felt that the biggest presence of the Force was in Jharkhand. The current headquarter will be headed by an officer of the level of Inspector General and will also have residential units for gazette officers. A Dog Training School, a first of its kind, a veterinary hospital and other paraphernalia would also be provided at the HQ, built on 156 acres.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das assured that the state government would provide 100 acres additional land for a training school, a request made CISF Director General O P Singh.

At a brief press interaction following a review meeting of anti-naxal operations, Singh, to a query on West Bengal situation, said: “There is no place for violence in a healthy democracy.”

On being asked about West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Bannerjee calling for ‘national government’ after removing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Home Minister said that the Prime Minister was the most popular ever and he had taken steps that would usher in far-reaching changes.

On Uttar Pradesh’s Samajwadi Party feud, the minister said: “We don’t like when there is disintegration in a family or a party and don’t calculate our political opportunities on that basis. But, yes, we feel for people when the party undergoing infighting is the ruling party. It affects the people of that state.” He added that demonetisation was and should not be considered a poll-issue. “Some decisions are taken in national interest. This was one such decision. And, if win or loss is any indication, then the BJP has recently won several elections after demonetisation,” he said.