Proactive approach needed: Chidambaram

AGENCIES
Posted on 2009-01-07
NEW DELHI- The Home Minister, Mr P Chidambaram on Tuesday asked the state governments to put in place a clear command structure in case of a terror threat or attack to avoid ambiguity or confusion about who is in charge.
Addressing the Conference of Chief Ministers on internal security, the Home Minister said there was “ample evidence” of existence of terrorist modules and “many sleeper cells” in the country. He said a clear command structure should be in place in case of a terrorist threat or attack.
There must be no ambiguity or confusion about who is in-charge; who will have overall authority over the different forces; who will deploy the forces according to the needs of the situation; and who will be held accountable for the success of the operation”, he stressed. “All aspects must be spelt out clearly and made known to the state police department as well as other forces that may be requisitioned in the case of a terrorist threat or a terrorist attack,” he said. Mr Chidambaram said response to terrorism could “not be reactive” and has to be “pro-active” while highlighting the need for gathering and sharing intelligence and responding in a coordinated manner to apprehend the potential terrorist. The Home Minister asked the chief ministers to strengthen the intelligence gathering function at the ground level (police station) in their respective states. “There must be at least one person of the rank of the head constable or an assistant sub-inspector who is exclusively charged with this (intelligence gathering) responsibility - and is burdened with no other work,” he said.