Opposition attacks government for slashing funds for internal security
NEW DELHI: The Opposition in the Lok Sabha today attacked the government for slashing funds for major programmes like internal security and police modernisation, saying this would weaken the fight against terrorism and extremism.
"Everywhere there is reduction (of funds). Is there a problem of coordination between you (Home Affairs Ministry) and Finance (ministry)," Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge asked, adding that the government has allocated less funds to a "very important" ministry like Home Affairs.
Initiating the discussion on the Demands for Grants for Home Ministry for 2017-18, Kharge said in all the important heads of the ministry including internal security, "allocations are quite low in 2017-18 as compared to the previous year".
The government can give figures, but in percentage terms, the allocations have been reduced, he said.
The low allocation "reflects the failure of the government to utilise the funds properly," he said, claiming that the Home department was getting less help from their Finance counterparts.
He also claimed that the government has failed in curbing extremism and naxalism in the country, saying "time and again, we hear new incidents".
"If the government fails to take appropriate action, extremism and terrorism will increase," Kharge said, adding that there has been an increase in instances of infiltration and killing of security forces which reflects worsening of the situation. "Are these acche din (good days)," he asked.
Giving certain figures, Kharge said there was an increase in the number of people killed in 2016 as compared to 2015. He said in 2016, 213 civilians and 65 security forces were killed as compared to 213 and 59 in 2015 respectively.
Similarly, the number of encounters with police also rose to 328 last year from 247 in 2015, he said, adding that "these are your figures".
Kharge said the government should improve and modernise the infrastructure for security forces because they are equally important like the armed forces.
For security forces related infrastructure, the revised estimate was Rs 1,309 crore in 2015-16 but it was reduced to Rs 1,222 crore for 2017-18. "Why have you reduced this. Has naxalism and terrorism reduced," Kharge asked.
"Similarly, funds are also coming down for modernisation of police forces. You have also made the state police weak. They do not only tackle law and order but also (deal with) issues like terrorist attack, railway accidents etc," he said, adding that the budget allocation for modernisation was reduced to Rs 800 crore in 2017-18 from Rs 845 crore a year ago.
"Everywhere there is reduction (of funds). Is there a problem of coordination between you (Home Affairs Ministry) and Finance (ministry)," Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge asked, adding that the government has allocated less funds to a "very important" ministry like Home Affairs.
Initiating the discussion on the Demands for Grants for Home Ministry for 2017-18, Kharge said in all the important heads of the ministry including internal security, "allocations are quite low in 2017-18 as compared to the previous year".
The government can give figures, but in percentage terms, the allocations have been reduced, he said.
The low allocation "reflects the failure of the government to utilise the funds properly," he said, claiming that the Home department was getting less help from their Finance counterparts.
He also claimed that the government has failed in curbing extremism and naxalism in the country, saying "time and again, we hear new incidents".
"If the government fails to take appropriate action, extremism and terrorism will increase," Kharge said, adding that there has been an increase in instances of infiltration and killing of security forces which reflects worsening of the situation. "Are these acche din (good days)," he asked.
Giving certain figures, Kharge said there was an increase in the number of people killed in 2016 as compared to 2015. He said in 2016, 213 civilians and 65 security forces were killed as compared to 213 and 59 in 2015 respectively.
Similarly, the number of encounters with police also rose to 328 last year from 247 in 2015, he said, adding that "these are your figures".
Kharge said the government should improve and modernise the infrastructure for security forces because they are equally important like the armed forces.
For security forces related infrastructure, the revised estimate was Rs 1,309 crore in 2015-16 but it was reduced to Rs 1,222 crore for 2017-18. "Why have you reduced this. Has naxalism and terrorism reduced," Kharge asked.
"Similarly, funds are also coming down for modernisation of police forces. You have also made the state police weak. They do not only tackle law and order but also (deal with) issues like terrorist attack, railway accidents etc," he said, adding that the budget allocation for modernisation was reduced to Rs 800 crore in 2017-18 from Rs 845 crore a year ago.
