Introduction

India’s ‘unity in diversity’ is perhaps also the reasons for an infinite spectrum of internal security challenges that it has been facing since independence.
The core issue that is leading to violence and anarchy is the disproportionate increase in population, resulting in unethical scrambling for the finite resources which are fast diminishing.
The trust levels between communities and towards the government are getting eroded owing to self-centric mindsets and an insatiable greed to own the turf.
The law enforcement agencies at the grass root level are ill equipped, ill trained and have limited motivation. The policies and organisations to counter terrorism, both, at centre and state levels need major reforms to make them more effective in their mission.
Internal Security Challenges
  • Naxalism. It was a mass movement of the peasants against the atrocities of the feudalistic landlords in the year 1967. It was actively support by China’s communist movement or the Moaist movement (named after the communist leader of China, Mao Zedong).
  • The Red corridor (colour of communist flag) has now spread across 13-14 states of our country.
  • The main causes of this movement gaining such unprecedented momentum are; government deficit in all affected areas, poverty, unemployment, exploitation of poor by the rich, mafias’ operations, Naxal leaders exploiting simple, uneducated tribal’s, lack of development in terms of provision of basic amenities and infrastructure, politician-naxal leaders nexus, support from countries favouring communist ideology like China and Nepal, etc. To read more about the reasons for Chinese interference into Indian affairs, please click this link to my previous blog.
  •  Low Intensity Conflict. Pakistan sponsored cross border terrorism, that enunciates the stated policy of Pakistani establishment,’ to bleed India from a hundred cuts’.
  • This is a low cost, high dividend option that the Pakistan ISI and Military have engaged India into, so that they could justify their very existence to the people of Pakistan.
  • The cost of fighting the LICO is colossal and it also fans disharmony in other parts of the country.
  •  Insurgency in NE States. The seven states of NE, called the seven sisters, were mainly inhabited by the tribal’s when India incorporated these states into its union; there was widespread anger, opposition and reluctance to accept.
  • Certain states like Nagaland wanted to be completely Independent, while original inhabitants of most states, including Assam and Manipur demanded for greater autonomy.
  • The division and delineation of state boundaries was done arbitrarily, and adequate relevance was not given to ethnicity, which frequently causes ethnic clashes.
  • The recent clashes in Assam and incidents of blockade of Manipur highway by Naga insurgents is happening because of a disparity between the perceived / accepted and actual state boundaries. 
  •  NE states are connected to mainland India, only by a narrow strip of land called the Siliguri corridor in West Bengal and the differences in culture, traditions and attitude of the people are extremely stark.
  • Hence, the complete acceptance of the settlers from other parts of India, mainly from Bengal by the local tribal’s was never there. The locals always found the outsiders as a threat to their customs and businesses.
  •  Communal Disharmony. Our multi-cultural and multi-lingual democracy often finds clashes of interests. The reduced tolerance accrues out of greed for power and desire to subjugate other communities.
  • The examples of Assam riots in 2012 and the more recent Muzzafar Nagar communal riots further intensified the hatred, mistrust and division between communities.
  • More often than not the politician uses this as an unethical tool to divide the vote bank for their own selfish interests, without realising the damage that it causes to our democratic structure.
  •  Miscellaneous. Other forms of internal security challenges that we are facing in the current times are:
           a.  Cyber Warfare.
           b.  Fake Currency.
          c.   Drug and Human Trafficking.
          d.   Criminal Injustice; lawlessness, human rights violations, especially, of women and children, land/coal mafias, intolerance  towards others and moral policing as demonstrated by Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, labour unrests as in Maruti Udyog, Gurgaon Plant, etc .
          e.   Natural Calamities and Manmade Disasters. Like psunami, earthquakes, floods, etc.
In most of the above security challenges the hand of one or more of our ‘not so friendly’ neighbouring countries cannot be ruled out.

Organisation to Tackle Internal Security Challenges

The principle national level organisation to enforce and maintain law and order is the Ministry of Home Affairs.
It has the Police Forces that execute law enforcement and theCentral Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that investigates where ever any breach of law or infringement in the laid down procedures has taken place.
The Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), includes, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force( CISF), Central Reserve Police Force(CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Security Guards(NSG), Railway Protection Force( RPF), Special Protection Group(SPG), Sahastra Sema Bal(SSB).
National Security Council (NSC) was set up in 1998 and A National Security Advisor (NSA) was appointed to coordinate security policy design and integrate intelligence pertaining to security issues.
However, this body has proved to be ineffective and has not so far enunciated any documented National Security Strategy for India.
National Investigation Agency (NIA) is the federal agency of India to combat terrorism in the country. It was raised in 2008, after the Mumbai attack, when the effectiveness of the existing NSC system was found lacking.
Similarly, at the state level the state police forces are deployed during all exigencies, which are often augmented by central forces on requisition by the state government to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

What Needs to be Done to Tackle Internal Security Problems

NCTC(Nation Counter Terrorism Centre) should be formed as an umbrella organisation under which other organisations like the NIA(National Investigation Agency), NTRO(National Technical Research Organisation), JIC(Joint Intelligence Agency), NCRB(National Crime Record Bureau) and the NSG(National Security Guards) will work.
NCTC will be able to collect, collate and timely disseminate actionable intelligence, mobilise resources, coordinate effective training and incrementally augment resources and force level to ensure economy of effort.
However, the proposal of forming the NCTC, put forth by the previous government, was turned down by most states as they felt it would adversely affect the federal structure of our constitution.
Police Reforms are essential to make the force more dynamic and effective.
Indian Police Forces are still being governed under the archaic colonial Police Act of 1861. The Police Model Act was ordered to be drafted by a Drafting Committee in 2005, and the draft prepared by the Drafting Committee in 2006 has still not been approved and promulgated.
State forces should be made more effective through better training, equipment, motivation and incentivising their deeds.
Improving the efficacy of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) through training, provision of state of art equipment and better selection process of manpower for National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF).
Pre-positioning of Recourses for quick disbursement and conduct of frequent rehearsals to ensure that the drills and procedures are clear to all. This is the problem being faced by rescue workers in the J&K floods and many lives were lost due to non-availability to requisite wherewithal at the place where it was required.
Threat and Vulnerability Assessment must be carried out by the professionals in the field to take pro-active steps rather than being reactive to prevent and mitigate losses.
Systemic Reforms, to provide better governance and ensure proper delivery system to the target group will result in gaining public trust. Like direct cash transfer schemes and linking of UID with PDS, etc.
Greater transparency and accountability in all public dealings is also essential to prevent rumours mongering. Also, blame must be pinpointed in case of misappropriations, so as to initiate prompt & exemplary prosecution of non performing public servants.
Ensure Better Civil Rights by way of effective judiciaryto safeguard the interests and dignity of all citizens of the country, through proper and prompt implementation of legislations and laws like the, Land Acquisition Act, Whistle Blower’s Act, Domestic Violence Act, etc.
Ensuring Inclusive Growth to arrest mass migration of rural poor to urban centres which are getting clogged, thus resulting in clash of interests and disturbances.
Building National Character by understanding the value of responsibility by all citizens, especially, by eminent persons of the society like, politicians, media, judiciary, police and workers of the civil society.
Internal security issues have been and will always be a part and parcel of all civilisations. This menace has to be tackled proactively, through long term planning and policy making by an effective national internal security organisation. It is hoped that the Modi Government will give it the priority that it deserves, so that we are not caught napping again, as it has happened on many previous occasions.
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