The Prime Minister Vajpayee has emphasized that "Security for Development" should become the watchword of the nation as social peace and rule of law is sine qua non for economic development.

Addressing the 33rd Conference of Directors General of Police and Inspectors General of Police in New Delhi on November 10, the Prime Minister said that the issue of policing ought to be addressed in a broad framework which encompasses economic development, social peace and the rule of law. Congratulating the recipients of the President’s Police Medal for distinguished service, the Prime Minister underlined the importance of maintaining the stability and internal security of the nation.

Referring to the attempts of certain hostile forces and our neighboring country who seem intent on sparing no efforts to destabilize us through subversion of our polity, by jeopardizing our economy and through attacks on our social fabric in the form of unabashed terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir and support to insurgent movements in the North East, the Prime Minister, commended the significant contribution of the police in turning the tide of militancy in Jammu & Kashmir and in preventing the revival of terrorism in Punjab as also in containing underground movements in the North East. He pointed out that Pakistan, for whom the focal point of India centric policies remained Jammu & Kashmir, was seeking to internationalize the issue and even raising voices for third party intervention disregarding the bilateral Shimla agreement. Noting also that it was trying to recreate a fear psychosis through targeted killings and propaganda, he expressed the confidence that the remnants of terrorism in the State would be wiped out soon through the continued efforts of the security forces. The problem of North-East, he said, required a holistic approach in consonance with local sensibilities since it was not merely a law and order problem. What was required there was fast economic and infrastructural development, he said.

Stressing the importance of human rights in our democratic society, the Prime Minister said that this issue ought to be addressed in a harmonized manner so that no atrocities were allowed to be perpetrated against the innocent people. He called for adequate sensitization and training of police personnel to ingrain amongst them a respect for human rights. Pointing to the scourge of drug trafficking the Prime Minister said that the fight against this menace had seriously challenged the wherewithal and ingenuity of the police forces and called for serious attention to this problem at the top level of law enforcing authorities.