GUWAHATI, July 18 � Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said that Government is keen on solving the problems including that of militancy through dialogues instead of going for confrontations. He also said that the doors of the Government are open for any militant outfit, which wants to solve the problems through talks.
Replying to the debate on the cut motions on the demand for grant for the Police Department, the Chief Minister said that the doors of the Government are also open for Paresh Baruah to come for talks. He , however, asserted that the Government would not allow anyone to indulge in violence.
Gogoi today said that the State needs to modernize its police force. He said that the State�s police force needs to undergo improved training and the intelligence wing of the force needs to be strengthened. Moreover, the State needs more police stations, he said.
Laying emphasis on modernization of the police force, the Chief Minister said that modernization of the police force is the demand of the hour. To defeat the forces of destabilization, the Government needs to go for modernizing the police force, he said.
He also refuted the Opposition charge that the police force is ineffective, by saying that the rise in the prices of land is the indicator that the law-and-order situation in the State has improved and more investments have been coming to it. Without the effectiveness of the police force, this would not have been possible, he said.
He rejected the Opposition demand that the negotiation process with the ULFA should be halted until its commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah comes forward for taking part in the process, saying that the entire process of negotiation with the militant outfit should be carried forward bit by bit. The non-participation of Paresh Baruah in the process at present should not cause any hindrance to its progress, he asserted.
He, however, made it clear that the Government does not believe in resolving the problems through a confrontationist attitude.
Taking part in the debate, Minister Rockybul Hussain said that all suggestions offered by the members for making the police force a dynamic one would be taken into consideration by the Government.
He, however, criticized the opinion of Padma Hazarika that the negotiation process with ULFA should not be started without the participation of the outfit�s commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah as an attempt to confuse the people.
Taking part in the debate, Keshav Mahanta (AGP) supported the cut motion moved by his party and suggested steps to raise a border police battalion for guarding the inter-state border of the State with its neighbouring States. He also suggested that the State Government should raise a similar battalion to guard the State�s international border as a second line of defence. This will help in checking infiltration of foreigners, he said.
Padma Hazarika (AGP) said that steps should be taken to ensure posting of rights persons in right places. He said that there is need for modernizing the police force.
Kamal Singh Narzary (BPF), while opposing the cut motion, said that failure of the Government to solve the insurgency problem through negotiation has made several groups on ceasefire to again resort to violent activities.
He made a plea to concede to the 26-point charter of demands of the All Bodo Students� Union so as to restrain it from raising the separate Bodoland demand vociferously.
Dr Bhumidhar Barman (Congress) said that the Congress governments led by Late Hiteswar Saikia and Tarun Gogoi have tried to solve the ULFA problem. The Tarun Gogoi-led Government has succeeded in nearly solving the insurgency problems of Karbi Anglong and N C Hills districts.
Without the cooperation of the police, such developments would not have been possible, said Dr Barman.
He claimed that the minorities have been provided full security by the present State Government. Though he extended support to the suggestion of Keshav Mahanta for raising a separate police battalion for the inter-state border of the State, Dr Barman was sceptical about resolution of the problem of influx from Bangladesh without sealing the Meghalaya-Bangladesh border.
He objected to the tendency of some of the Opposition members to criticize the police force in a disgraceful manner.
In the debate, Majendra Narzary (BPF), Chandan Sarkar, Rajen Barthakur and Debabrata Saikia (all Congress) also took part.
The Opposition members withdrew their cut motions after the assurances from the Treasury Bench to look into their suggestions and following this, the demand for the grant of Rs 2,35,964.55 lakh for the administration of police was passed by the House.
