India on verge of eradicating Naxal terror: PM Modi
Panaji (PTI): India is on the verge of eradicating Naxal-Maoist terror and more than 100 districts freed from this scourge will celebrate Diwali with dignity this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday.
Addressing the armed forces onboard INS Vikrant off the Goa coast, Modi lauded the bravery of the security forces, saying they have achieved significant successes against Maoist terror and reduced their influence to just 11 districts, from 125 districts a decade ago.
"It is due to the valour and courage of our security forces that the country has achieved another major milestone over the last few years. This milestone is about eradication of Maoist terrorism. The country is on the verge of liberation from Naxal-Maoist terror," the prime minister said.
He said that before 2014, nearly 125 districts across the country were in the grip of Maoist violence and this number has now reduced to just 11 districts due to the steps taken by the government over the past decade.
"Of these 11 districts, only three districts remain under their influence," he said.
"More than 100 districts are now free from Maoist terror and are breathing in open air for the first time and celebrating a splendid Diwali," the prime minister said.
"In many such districts, people are celebrating Diwali for the first time. Record sales and purchases are being witnessed in these areas during the GST Bachat Utsav. In districts where Maoist terror once suppressed even the mention of the Constitution, the mantra of Swadeshi now resonates," he said.
Modi said it was perhaps for the first time since Independence that the police forces were faced with such a big challenge and in the past 10 years, he believed that the scourge of the last 50 years will be defeated.
"They (police forces) have achieved 90 per cent success," he said, asserting that fighting the war within the country required a lot of patience to ensure that no innocent life was lost.
He said there were regions where Maoists did not allow building schools, roads and hospitals, blew up schools and hospitals and gunned down doctors.
In the same regions, highways are being built, new businesses are taking root, and schools and hospitals are building a new future for children, Modi said.
The prime minister said that these successes have been achieved due to the penance, sacrifice and courage of the security forces.
"I am delighted that for the first time, people in many such districts of the country are going to celebrate Diwali with pride, honour and dignity," Modi said.
He also saluted the brave police forces who are leading the fight against Maoist terror.
Modi said the successes against Maoist terror have been achieved due to the sacrifices of a number of police personnel who have lost a limb, find it difficult to get off a wheel chair, but still have the same passion to fight.
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Ex-PM Devegowda warns opposition of electoral losses if they continue to allege 'vote chori'
New Delhi (PTI): Former Prime Minister H D Devegowda on Monday said the Opposition parties would "suffer" if they continue to raise allegations of "vote chori" and create suspicion in the minds of voters by blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
Participating in a discussion on election reforms in the Rajya Sabha, he criticised the Opposition for making a mockery about the Prime Minister "in the streets and on the public platform".
"This (India) is a very big country. A large country. Congress may be in three states. Remember my friends please, by using the words 'vote chori' you are going to suffer in the coming days. You are not going to win the battle," Devegowda said, referring to the Opposition members.
He asked what the Opposition is going to earn by "blaming Narendra Modi's leadership and creating a suspicion in the mind of the voters" through the claims of "vote chori".
"What has happened to their minds? Let them rectify," Devegowda said.
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The former prime minister said that during his over seven decades of public life, he has never raised such issues of vote theft despite facing defeat in elections.
He also cited a letter written by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru regarding inclusion of "18,000 votes" (voters) in Kerala.
"Why I am telling this (because) during the Nehru period also, there were certain lapses in the electoral system," said Devegowda, who was the prime minister between June 1, 1996 and April 21, 1997.
He said that the Congress party faced defeat in the recent Bihar elections despite raising the issues of mistakes in the electoral rolls.
"What happened after that even after so much review (of voters list). Think (for) yourself! You got six MLAs," the senior Janata Dal (Secular) leader said.
Devegowda questioned the Opposition as to why they want to make allegations against the prime minister on the issue of the voters list?
"Election Commission is there. Supreme Court is there. The Election Commission has given direction to all the state units to rectify all these things," he said.
Devegowda said people of the country have full confidence in Narendra Modi's government and it will come back to power after the next Lok Sabha elections as well.
K R Suresh Reddy, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party's Rajya Sabha member from Telangana, said that electoral reforms are the backbone for a healthy democracy.
He said a large and diverse nation like Indi needs clean electoral rolls.
Asserting that strict re-verification should not become a mechanism for exclusion, Reddy said no eligible voter should lose their right to vote simply because accessing paperwork is difficult.
He said while the concern definitely is on the voters' exclusion, "we should also be equally concerned about the percentage of voting."
"What is happening in voting today? Once the election ends, the drama begins. The biggest challenge that the Indian democracy has been facing in spite of two major Constitutional amendments has been the anti-defection. Anti-defection is the name of the game today, especially in smaller states, especially where the legislatures are small in number," Reddy said.
The senior BRS leader suggested creation of a parliamentary committee "which would constantly look into the defection" and "ways and means to cutting that".
AIADMK's M Thambidurai raised the issues related to election campaigning.
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"Election campaigns are one of the important election processes. In that, political parties must be given the proper chance to campaign," he said and cited problems faced by his party in Tamil Nadu in this regard.
Thambidurai said political parties were facing hardships in Tamil Nadu to conduct public meetings and to express their views to the public.
YSRCP's Yerram Venkata Subba Reddy stressed on bringing electoral reforms at both the state and national levels.
He also suggested replacing Electronic Voting Machines with paper ballots in all future elections.
"EVM may be efficient but can't be trusted. Paper ballot may not be efficient but can be trusted. You need trust in democracy," Reddy added.
