NEW DELHI: Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi raised concern over the UPA government for willfully avoiding the use of the word ?terrorism? in agenda items in the meeting of National Integration Council on October 13, 2008. It doesn'twant to mention terrorism and doesn'tknow the difference between terrorism and extremism. They are encouraging vote-bank politics. While speaking at the NIC meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, Gujarat CM Shri Narendra Modi said that he was shocked to find that the issue of terrorism was not mentioned in the agenda.
He said that the rise of terrorism with educated youth involving in terrorists attack does not augur well for communal harmony.
National consensus is required to isolate such people, groups and the so-called intellectuals supporting these elements in the name of protection of human rights. Deterrent punishment is necessary to keep the youth away from such indoctrination.
Addressing the august gathering in NIC meeting, Shri Modi said that his government is keen on maintaining social harmony and peace by focussing on the welfare and development of all its citizens. The state believes in justice to all and appeasement of none.
The state has maintained law and order and communal peace. Many religious festivals and occasions have been celebrated peacefully. The rath yatras of Ahmedabad and rest of the state which, in the past, witnessed communal riots on several occasions have passed off peacefully in recent years from 2003 to 2008. Muslims and Hindus cooperated with one another in celebrating the festivals.
Even after serial bomb blasts in Ahmedabad and recovery of number of live bombs in different parts of Surat city, 5.5 crore citizens of Gujarat maintained peace and showed great character to fight terrorism. Prime Minister also appreciated the great resilience and determination demonstrated by the people of Gujarat during his visit after the bomb blasts.
He emphasised the need to strengthen the hands of security agencies and police force. He said extraordinary challenges need extraordinary responses. It is most unfortunate that the nation not only lacks determination to strictly deal with terrorism, but also does not have any clear policy and programme to prevent our youth from falling into the trap of indoctrination and join the terrorism outfits. A stringent law is required not only to punish the perpetrators of terrorism, but also to prevent our educated youth being drawn in to terrorist ideology. To curb terrorist activities, he urged the Union Govt to expedite approval of GUJCOC Bill in Gujarat.
Highlighting education among minorities, Scheduled Castes and Schedule Tribes, Shri Modi said that Gujarat is determined to improve literacy rate and provide easy access to education for all sections of the society as it does not discriminate its 5.5 crore population. Gujarat has taken up unique initiative in the form of an annual campaign to ensure 100 per cent enrolment in the primary schools irrespective of caste, creed, religion or sex. Through the massive drive for enrolment in the primary school and ?Kanya Kelvani? campaigns we have achieved almost 100 per cent enrolment. The drop-out rate which was over 37 per cent in 2001-02 has been reduced to less than 3 per cent.
The overall literacy rate of the state is 69.14 per cent. Literacy rate among Scheduled Castes is 70.50 per cent and among Muslims, it is 73.47 per cent. The Sachar Committee has highlighted that the literacy rate among Muslims in Gujarat at 73.47 per cent is not only higher than state average of 69.14 per cent but also way above the all India literacy rate of Muslims at 59.1 per cent.
The Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers of various states, leaders of national parties and eminent personalities attended the meeting and expressed their views on the subject.
