Thaindian News

New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) Infiltration by militants into Jammu and Kashmir was continuing, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Friday, while warning security forces not to be complacent as cross-border camps for terrorists had been reactivated.

Addressing the all India conference of directors general and inspectors general of police here, Manmohan Singh said the summer of 2011 had been peaceful in Jammu and Kashmir with the number of tourists and pilgrims going up this year. Voters also turned up in large numbers in the state’s panchayat elections.

“Despite these positive developments, there is no room for complacency on the security front in Jammu and Kashmir,” he told the senior police officers here.

“There are reports of cross-border camps for terrorists being reactivated and attempts to induct fresh batches of militants into the country. We need to ensure such attempts are foiled through smooth and coordinated functioning of all security agencies in the state.”

According to the prime minister, the challenge now in the border state was for elected bodies to meet the high expectations of the people even as peace had been restored there.

“In Jammu and Kashmir, the summer has been peaceful and a record number of tourists, yatris and pilgrims have visited the state. Voters turned out in large number to exercise their democratic franchise in the panchayat elections. The real challenge now will be to meet the high expectations of the people, as peace is restored,” he said.

“Empowerment of local bodies will be one critical step in energising the development processes. We have initiated the process of broad-based consultations to find a way forward in Jammu and Kashmir. We need to give the process of dialogue and democracy a chance to secure a just environment that meets the aspirations of all sections of the people.”

On the security situation in the northeastern states, the prime minister said there has been “a gradual, yet substantial improvement”.

“Our democratic polity has the capacity to respond to the legitimate aspirations of all communities, cultures and regions. There is space for all of us to live together in peace and with dignity,” he said.

Manmohan Singh noted that insurgent groups were “increasingly coming around” to the view that a search for a political identity need not entail recourse to violence and that it can be more fruitfully pursued peacefully and by dialogue.

“The climate for talks for groups in Assam has improved. The situation in the Darjeeling hills has shown improvement,” he added.