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Naxals 'with guns or pens' need to be uprooted, says PM Modi

He also mooted the idea of 'One Nation, One Uniform' for police
Last Updated 28 October 2022, 16:59 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called for the "uprooting" of all forms of Naxalism, whether "with guns or pens", to prevent such people from "misleading the country's youth". He said some of these groups receive international help while attributing a more determined fight against terrorism to stronger laws, including the UAPA, brought by his government.

Warning about forces increasing their intellectual sphere to push the youth towards extremism and pervert the minds of coming generations, the PM said: "Every form of Naxalism, be it the one with guns or the one with pens, have to be uprooted to prevent them from misleading the youth of the country." Modi said such forces get significant help internationally, and "India cannot allow any such forces to flourish in our country".
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Addressing the 'Chintan Shivir' of state home ministers in Haryana's Surajkund, the PM lamented the losses India faced due to the circulation of fake news on social media about job reservations in the past. He said people need to be educated about analysing and verifying any information before forwarding it to people. "We have to develop technological advancement to prevent the spreading of fake news," Modi said.

The PM said a single piece of fake news could snowball into a matter of national concern. Referring to the introduction of 5G technology, he said while it brings benefits, one should also be aware of the challenges and emphasised that there is a need for a heightened alert.

The PM also mooted the idea of 'One Nation, One Police Uniform'. Modi said he is not trying to impose it on states, though he thinks the identity of the police across the country could be identical. States can have their number or insignias, he added. He said this would not only ensure the manufacture of quality products because they will be used on a large scale but also will give a common identity to law enforcement personnel as people will recognise them anywhere in the country.

In his nearly 45-minute video address, the PM said laws enacted by the Centre "clearly" show a will to handle corruption, terrorism and hawala firmly and that laws like UAPA have strengthened the system in a decisive battle against terrorism. Modi said even though law and order is the responsibility of the states as per the constitution, it is equally related to the unity and integrity of the country and development.
The PM asked the states to evaluate and get rid of outdated rules and laws. He urged states to increase mutual cooperation since crime is no longer localised and instances of interstate, international crimes are going up. "Whether it is cybercrime or the use of drone technologies for the smuggling of weapons or drugs, the government needs to keep working towards new technologies to tackle the menace. The law and order system can be improved with the help of smart technology," he said.

The PM said the good old system of generating human intelligence by the police and security agencies should be strengthened for achieving better results. He asked the states not to look at their budgets while selecting technology as "investment in today's technology is a saving in the future".
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(Published 28 October 2022, 07:06 IST)

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