Centre doing all to curb Maoism, terrorism: Rajnath
Kolkata, Oct 1: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the Centre is taking steps to curb all possible national security threats, including Maoism and terrorism, and assured the states of Central forces' help whenever they require.
"Be it Maoism, terrorism or extremism -- all sorts of security threats are being adequately dealt with. We are doing whatever is necessary to curb any potential security threat and will continue to do so," Singh said after a meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council here.
Responding to a question on withdrawal of central forces from various states, the Minister said the Central government had certain compulsions to redeploy forces under circumstances such as elections, but said the states would get adequate forces whenever required.
"I agree that the states need Central forces. However, the central government also has certain compulsions. When elections are held in a certain state, we have to send Central forces there. So, the forces have to be withdrawn from somewhere for further redeployment," Singh said.
"However, it is not that the Centre will not provide required forces to the states. We will send additional Central forces as and when these are required," he said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier criticised Centre's proposal to withdraw at least three companies of paramilitary forces from Bengal's Left-wing extremism infested Junglemahal area, comprising Purulia, Jhargram, West Midnapore and Bankura districts and redeploy them in critical areas of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
The Bengal government had also written to the Union Home Ministry opposing the move.
Singh, who arrived here on Sunday, attended the meeting along with the West Bengal and Jharkhand chief ministers. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Odisha Finance Minister Shashi Bhusan Behera and senior officials of the Centre and state governments were present.
"The meeting has been successful since 26 of the 30 issues discussed were resolved," he added.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
