ITANAGAR, July 4 � Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju today said that his first and foremost priority is to secure peace and security in the North East while asserting that without peace, no development can be possible in the region.
Currently on his maiden visit to his home State Arunachal Pradesh after becoming Union Minister, Rijiju held two separate meetings with Chief Minister Nabam Tuki, Home Minister Tanga Byaling, Parliamentary Secretary for Home Likha Saaya and State Government officials and top officers of security agencies.
Emerging after the meetings, he told media persons that the Centre is devising a Unified Command like that of Assam saying it can�t allow militant organisations to use Arunachal territory in carrying out their subversive activities. He asked all security agencies to work in coordination towards restoring peace and order in the region.
Replying to a poser, he said, �Knowing the ground situation in the region, I am appealing to all other militant organisations to come to the talks table�In some areas, we need to see those people to get on board. We are ready to hold dialogues with all these groups.�
Asked to comment on China�s repeated claim on Arunachal Pradesh with the most recent one being China map showing Arunachal to be part of it, Rijiju said, �We at the Centre can tell them (China) not to raise the issue but can�t force them to stop raising the same.�
He further said, �As we believe in one China policy, we expect China too reciprocate in the same line, i.e. one India policy and there should not be any deviation from it.�
Issues like police modernisation, strengthening of police force, disaster management, border area development programmes, etc., predominantly figured in his meeting with the State Government. He assured better fund flow from the Centre for speedy execution of welfare schemes for the development of the strategically located border State.
Informing that population criteria was one of the biggest hindrances for developmental schemes implementation, Rijiji further said Centre has brought in certain relaxation for speedy development of infrastructure in the hilly State. �I am viewing development process in Arunachal Pradesh from strategic angle,� he said, adding that he is going to seek support from all other Central Ministries for the State�s development.
Later, in the late evening, the Union Minister called on the State Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Nirbhay Sharma.
On his two-day State visit, the MoS for Home Affairs is being accompanied by MHA Joint Secretary (Border Management) SK Mishra and Joint Secretary (NE) Shambhu Singh.
