[Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-85

[Taha Mehmood]

http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/15/stories/2006081502111200.htm

The Hindu
Tuesday, Aug 15, 2006 	


Kalam for "comprehensive security"

Special Correspondent

Identifies major components as territorial, internal, energy and
economic security

 NEW DELHI : President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Monday exhorted the
citizens and officials to pool national energies to achieve
"comprehensive national security" to defeat "challenges to peace from
across our geographical borders, from terrorism and violence and from
scarcities created by rapidly depleting natural resources."

In a message to the nation on the eve of the 60th Independence Day,
Mr. Kalam identified four major components: territorial security,
internal security, energy security and economic security. "While we
have the basic structure in the form of law, police cadres,
intelligence agencies and judicial system, we need to reinforce them
with required updates with a code of conduct. Every citizen, every
group, every religion and every political and executive system should
allow the law to function without interference," he said.

Recalling his visit to Mumbai after the July 11 bomb blasts, Mr. Kalam
noted how "the whole city of Mumbai expressed its deep sorrow and
determination to combat terrorism with unity of minds. We must do this
with a great sense of urgency for when evil minds combine, good minds
have to work together and combat."

Spelling out what it would take to mount a National Campaign to
Eradicate Terrorism (NCET), the President said: "I believe the time
has come to synergise our multiple agencies for forecasting and
dealing with terrorist activities." Asking for "working together of
the intelligence and security machinery both at the State and the
Central levels," he said such "alert and dynamic movement would
prevent hotels and homes being used as a shelter by terrorists and
extremists."

Pointing out that "there is a floating population in transition
through residential areas, hotels and other similar places that could
unknowingly be used for wrong purposes," Mr. Kalam proposed "national
ID cards" and stressed the creation of "special monitoring methodology
for unusual and abnormal banking transactions."

Noting that true security meant energy security, the President briefly
touched upon the topic of nuclear fuel. "The vast thorium resources of
the nation should be harnessed by our scientists and technologists,"
he said. "I am confident that we have the capability to build our own
thorium-based reactors."

Asking the political, administrative, scientific and industrial
communities to "cooperate intensely with each other," Mr. Kalam wanted
formulation of a "vision, integrated missions, policies, plans and
programmes for such comprehensive security for the nation to be safe,
prosperous and happy." He told the country that he would be asking the
Government and Parliament to (i) formulate a Citizens Security Bill,
(ii) formulate an Energy Independence Bill, and (iii) adopt a
resolution that "India will be transformed into a safe, prosperous,
happy and socio-economically developed nation before the year 2020."

National awakening

At the outset, the President invoked the theme of "national awakening"
and catalogued his experiences from travelling within India. He
saluted "the existence of an indomitable spirit to succeed with the
confidence that `we can do it' across the length and breadth of
India."