New Delhi:
Addressing a meet of police chiefs on Wednesday, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram spoke about various security issues, focusing on what he called the 'new phenomenon of saffron terrorism.'
"There has been a recent uncovered phenomenon of saffron terrorism that has been implicated in many bomb blasts in the past. My advice to you is that we must remain ever vigilant and continue to build, at both Central and state level, our capacities in counter-terrorism," he told the top policemen.
Chidambaram also raised the cross-border infiltration issue. "There has been no let-up in attempts by militants to infiltrate into India," he said.
On the situation in the Kashmir Valley, the minister said "Jammu and Kashmir is caught in vicious circle of stone pelting, teargassing, firing and again stone pelting. Centre is concerned that this vicious circle has not stopped." He hoped that in the next few days, a "starting point" would be found to reach out to the protesters and restart the process of a dialogue.
Chidambaram also expressed concern over the attempts to radicalise the youth of the nation saying, "There is no let-up in the attempts to radicalise young men and women in India."
Referring to the Naxal problem, he said, "We have called upon the CPI (Maoist) to abjure violence and come up for talks. I regret to say that there has been no direct and credible response to our offer of talks."
The Home Minister further said that one of the principal concerns of the government is to maintain communal peace and harmony. He said he was particularly dismayed by the fact that petty disputes and imagined slights trigger conflicts between communities and groups.
(With PTI inputs)
Read P Chidambaram's Full Statement