Speaking from the Red Fort on India’s independence day, Manmohan Singh said that violence and terror could not be accepted in a democratic set up.
He said while the government respected the people’s right to air their grievances, nothing can be achieved through violence. There is no place in our democratic system for those who resort to violence.
Manmohan Singh said that terrorism had become a global menace. He said his government had taken several steps to improve the internal security since the Mumbai terror attack of 2008 that left nearly 170 people dead.
The prime minister said that Maoist guerrillas, or Naxalites, were not able to understand the strength of Indian democracy.
He vowed to step up the campaign against the Naxalites and provide all help to state governments to overcome the Maoist menace.
At the same time, Manmohan Singh pledged to improve the social and economic disparities that provide oxygen to the Maoist insurgents who hold sway in many parts of the country.