Thaindian News

New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Saturday that law must take its own course but it was imperative that investigating agencies remained free of bias in probing terror strikes.

In his inaugural address at a meeting of the National Integration Council here, the prime minister noted, “We need to ensure that our investigating agencies are free from biases and prejudices of any kind.”

He noted that members of the minority community “often have a perception of being unfairly targeted by law enforcement agencies in the aftermath of unfortunate incidents”. He also urged the media to be proactive in promoting peace and harmony.

“It is a matter of great satisfaction that in recent years relations among various communities have by and large remained harmonious,” he said. “Members of this council have played an active role in ensuring that people respond with maturity to developments that may otherwise flare up communal tempers.”

He advised caution against any laxity: “We need to maintain a continuous vigil in this regard.”

Referring to recent handling of protests by the police in Delhi, including that of Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, he said, “In dealing with civil disturbances, we should keep in mind that excessive use of force often proves counter-productive.”

He said, “We need to distinguish between criminal activities and misguided discontent that finds unlawful expression.”

The home ministry, he said, has circulated instructions for dealing with crowds in a “non-lethal manner” and urged chief ministers to ensure that these are followed by appropriately equipping and training police forces.