Efforts are on to bring misguided youth back to mainstream: Rijiju

SHILLONG, FEB 5: Union Law & Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said that insurgency has been a long issue for the people of the North East region but ever since Narendra Modi took over as Prime Minister, majority of the misguided youth have surrendered and come back to mainstream.

Speaking to journalists at the sidelines of a BJP meeting in Shillong, Rijiju however said there are few left out and efforts are on to bring them back to mainstream as without peace, development is very difficult to go ahead so peace and development must go hand in hand.

“I was also Minister of State for Home Affairs for five years in the previous term so I know and have dealt with the matter very closely and most of the splinter groups and misguided youths have come back. we are happy and hopeful that the few remaining will also come back,” he added.

When asked if the Centre should invite the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) for peace talks in view of the frequent IED attacks, the union minister said that the central government is always there to help and assist the state government to ensure the law and order situation in the state remains very much under control.

But when it comes to larger issue like terrorism militancy then there has to be a close coordination of sharing of intelligence and other things including the political understanding, he said while asserting that if there are some issues which are due to lack of coordination then that should be overcome.

Stating that the Meghalaya government and central government are working in close coordination, Rijiju said, “I think this issue will be resolved.”

By Our Reporter