Law and order is states’ responsibility but these are linked to the unity and integrity of the nation too, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday. Addressing the Chintan Shivir of home ministers of states via video conferencing, PM Modi said that the ongoing brain-storming session at Surajkund in Haryana is an “excellent example of cooperative federalism.”
“States can learn from each other, take inspiration from each other and work together for the betterment of the country – this is sentiment of the Constitution and our duty towards our citizens,” he said.
He also floated the idea of ‘one nation, one police uniform’ saying states/UTs should discuss if this is possible.
The prime minister noted that the law and order is not restricted to a state as crime is turning interstate and international. Referring to the use of technology by criminals from beyond the border, PM Modi also underlined the need for states and central law enforcement agencies to coordinate.
“As long as there is no equal response from police & central agencies on these issues & if all states do not come together to fight these then it would be impossible to face them,” he added.
The prime minister further warned about fake news, saying it can kick up a storm across the nation. “For safety and rights of law-abiding citizens, stringent action against negative forces is our responsibility…Small piece of fake news can kick up a storm across the nation…We will have to educate people to think before forwarding anything, verify before believing it,” he said.
According to Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) statement, the two-day Chintan Shivir is an endeavour to provide a national perspective to policy formulation on internal security-related matters. The Shivir will deliberate on issues like modernization of police forces, cybercrime management, increased use of IT in the criminal justice system, land border management, coastal security, women safety, drug trafficking, among others.
