PC lists terrorism,extremism,separatism as Indias major problems

Government will put an end to terrorism with full force,said Union Home Minister P Chidambaram.

India is hopeful Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa would fulfil his promise to rehabilitate displaced Tamils and grant equal rights to the minority community,Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said on Saturday,asserting that New Delhi would continue to pressure Colombo in this regard.

“Till now we believe that he (Rajapaksa) will fulfil his promises. We will have to wait and see,” he told reporters when asked about concerns over the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils being expressed by some parties in Tamil Nadu.

“We will continue to pressure Rajapakasa to honour his promises. Our aim is to ensure that the Sri Lankan Tamils get equal rights,” he added.

Chidambaram,who was felicitated at the TNCC headquarters in Chennai on his success in the Lok Sabha elections,said the UPA government’s main aim was to see that Sri Lankan Tamils were rehabilitated and make sure that they get equal rights in all aspects.

On the country’s internal security,he said it was facing many challenges. “The first one is terrorism,the second is extremism and third challenge is separatism in North East,” he said.

Chidambaram said the Centre would adopt a “zero tolerance” policy towards terrorism. “Government will put an end to this menace with full force,” he added.

Asked whether poverty was the root cause of naxalism,Chidambaram said “I don’t agree with this argument because poverty exists everywhere”.

Story continues below this ad

He said the coming Railway and the General Budgets would take the country on the path of progress.

To a question on remarks by PMK founder S Ramadoss that alleged manipulation of EVMs led to PMK’s rout in Lok Sabha polls,Chidambaram said “if this was true,PMK should accept that it had won the four seats in 2004 poll in the same manner”.

Earlier speaking at the function,Chidambaram urged the party cadres to work hard to enable the Congress to perform well in the 2011 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.