The much-awaited internal security review meeting of all Chief Ministers and the Union Home Ministry on December 20 is set to be little more than another talk shop going by its agenda. Barring the subject of a Central agency with “concurrent jurisdiction” to tackle select terror cases with inter-state linkages, it offers little by way of a concerted action plan.This despite the fact that several states are not in favour of such a federal agency. All CMs will be asked to make a 10-minute presentation on their views to tackle the internal security situation in the country. The meeting comes at a time when barring Ludhiana’s theatre blast in which investigators have zeroed in on the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), internal security agencies have not been able to solve one case involving Islamic fundamentalists since the Karnavati Express blast in June 2005. In the November 23 multiple blasts in Lucknow, Varanasi and Faizabad, terrorists even sent an e-mail alert but investigators are clueless.As per the agenda, the government has no plans to introduce any law to tackle terrorism. The only new thing is that the Centre is keen on establishing a monitoring mechanism with all CMs sharing their views on internal security threats. It lists token measures to deal with Naxalism and terrorism: beefing up state police numbers; enhancing budget provision for police; “strengthening” special branches and intelligence gathering; dedicated security force groups to tackle terrorism and Naxalism and upgrading training. Incidentally, setting up special anti-terrorist squads and augmenting special branches are tools available with the state police at least since 2000 after the concept of multi-agency centre and joint task force on intelligence was suggested by the GoM on the Kargil Committee report.
