Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said in Shillong that insurgency issue has been a long issue for the people of the Northeast region but ever since Narendra Modi took over as Prime Minister, the majority of the "misguided youth have surrendered and come back to the 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 the "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.
On Centre to hold peace talks with the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) 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 a larger issues like terrorism militancy then there has to be close coordinations 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 coordinations then that should be overcome.
Stating that the Meghalaya government and the Central government are working in close coordination, Rijiju said, “I think this issue will be resolved.”
