Government willing to talk with NE insurgents: Rajnath
Source: The Sangai Express
New Delhi, August 12, 2014:
Union Home Minister has stated that the Government was willing to hold talks with Northeast insurgents as well as Maoists if they would shun arms.
"Attention will be given to the development of the Northeast as the region continues to be backward.
We want to give them the assurance that they too are part of India," he said.
Rejecting Congress leader Digivijay Singh's charge that the powers of the Ministry of Home Affairs are being taken away by the Prime Minister's Office, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that if he was already consulted on an issue, there was no need for its files to be sent to his ministry.
While assuring the Rajya Sabha that the government would take all steps to ensure communal harmony in the country, the Home Minister said the situation in Uttar Pradesh had deteriorated only because of votebank politics.
"For establishing communal harmony in UP, I assure you that we are ready to provide any kind of cooperation," he said.
Rejecting the charge that the BJP is involved in the recent communal flare-up in western UP, he said his party could never indulge in such acts as it believed in a culture where "even a snake is fed milk despite knowing that it will bite".
He added that the government didn't discriminate on the basis of caste, creed or religion and wouldn't tolerate communal violence.
The Home Minister said the government was open to discuss everything, including the issues of Kashmir and the Northeast, and sought the Opposition's cooperation to solve them.
"We want to find a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue.
We are ready for any kind of dialogue within the Constitutional framework.
If necessary, we are even willing to hold dialogue within the framework of humanity".
The minister went on to say that the government was willing to hold talks with Northeast insurgents as well as Maoists if they would shun arms.
"Attention will be given to the development of the Northeast as the region continues to be backward.
We want to give them the assurance that they too are part of India," he said.
For the rehabilitation of the Northeast militants, the Centre is planning to raise two service battalions where the surrendered militants would be absorbed, he said.