[Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-2

[Taha Mehmood]

Dear all,

The following report was published on May 24 2001 in the Tribune Newspaper.
This report points toward the key themes or justifying arguments mobilized
by the government of India in arguing for a National Identity card. These
arguments are- threat of infiltration, unsafe borders and presence of
illegal immigrants.

Regards

Taha


http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010524/main3.htm

GoM for single force on border
S. Satyanarayanan
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 23
The report of the Group of Ministers on "reforming the national security
system" has recommended creation of a separate Department of Border
Management within the Ministry of Home Affairs and points out that
multiplicity of forces on the same border has led to lack of accountability
on the part of the forces.

"In order to pay focussed attention to the issues pertaining to border
management it would be desirable to create a separate Department of Border
Management within the Ministry of Home Affairs under the overall charge of
the Home Secretary," the report released by the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K.
Advani, along with the External Affairs and Defence Minister, Mr Jaswant
Singh, and the Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, said here today.

The report pointed out that at present there were instances of more than one
force working on the same border and questions of conflict in command and
control had been raised frequently.

"To enforce accountability, the principle of 'one border one force' may be
adopted while considering the deployment of forces at the border," it said.

The report emphasised that border guarding forces need to be distinguished
from other central paramilitary forces and the central police organisations
because of their "distinctive functions".

"It is imperative that the border guarding forces are not deployed in the
states to deal with internal disturbances, law and order duties and
counter-insurgency operations," it said, adding that withdrawal of border
guarding forces for such duties limited their capabilities to guard the
borders effectively.

However, it said while there may be exceptional circumstances where it may
be necessary to utilise the services of border guarding forces for
performing law and order/counter-insurgency duties, as a rule, these forces
should not be withdrawn from the borders.

Since the border guarding force will also have the responsibility bearing on
internal security like preventing illegal immigration, carrying out
anti-smuggling activities, checking infiltration, collection of intelligence
etc, the GoM in its report recommended the ITBP and Assam Rifles should be
conferred with powers under the Customs Act and the Criminal Procedure Code
as in the case of the BSF. "Whenever a border is placed under the charge of
the Army, directly under it or through border guarding forces placed under
its operational control, it would be the responsibility of the Army to
perform these and allied duties," it said.

The GoM also recommended that a concerted action needed to be initiated at
the earliest by the government to urgently take up the demarcation on the
ground of our land boundaries and the settlement of our maritime borders
with our neighbours.

The GoM has also proposed introduction of a multi-purpose national identity
card (MPNIC) and a work permit for refugees as part of an exercise to check
illegal immigration into India which has assumed serious proportions.

The report recommends compulsory registration of citizens and non-citizens
in India which would facilitate preparation of a national register of
citizens.

It says that non-citizens should be issued identity cards of a different
colour and design. The identity cards would be introduced initially in the
20-km border belt and later extended to the hinterland.

The Centre should meet the full cost of the identity card scheme, it said.

Pointing out that the country is yet to fully wake up to the implications of
the unchecked immigration for the national security, it says that today we
have about 15 million Bangladeshis, 2.2 million Nepalese, 70,000 Sri Lankan
Tamils and about one lakh Tibetan migrants living in India. Demographic
changes had been brought about in the border belts of West Bengal, several
districts in Bihar, Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya as a result of large-scale
illegal migration, it said, adding that even states like Delhi, Maharashtra
and Rajasthan had been affected.

"Such large-scale migration had obvious social, economic, political and
security implications," it said adding that unfortunately, action on this
subject invariably assumed communal overtones with political parties taking
positions to suit the interest of their vote banks. The GoM recommended the
Indian Air Force should enhance its lower level air defence surveillance
capability through procurement of additional low-level transportable radars
as part of efforts to safeguard the sanctity of Indian air space.

It also suggested measures to counter the threat of intrusion from unmanned
aerial vehicles, induction of additional radars, aerostats and airborne
warning and control system aircraft may be inducted to enhance surveillance
of air space, expediting procurement of integrated air command and control
system and integration of all national radar resources of the Army, the Navy
and Civil forces at a faster pace.
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