Prime Minister Manmohan Singh emphatically said on Thursday the grave threat posed by extremism and terrorism will not be tolerated to infringe India’s pluralistic and liberal traditions at any cost.
Inaugurating seventh edition of the Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas in Chennai on Thursday, Manmohan Singh said the government had taken several measures to strengthen national security and promote national cohesion, and stressed that India would be continuing its effort with the international community to ensure terrorists could not get safe heaven.
India will not leave any stone unturned to isolate Pakistani terror organisation, Dr. Singh said and added “the recent terrorists' strike in Mumbai was a grim reminder of a grave threat posed by extremism and terrorism to our pluralistic and liberal traditions.”
“There are some who do not like to see India succeed,” said Dr. Singh without mentioning the name of any country, which is quite evident.
Ramdien Sardjoe, Vice President of Suriname, attended the conclave as chief guest. Vice President of Mauritius, Angidi Veeriah Chettiar, also attended the inaugural along with Vayalar Ravi, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karnunanidhi, and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee among others.
Taking serious note on the intensifying tensions in the Middle East, Dr. Singh condemned Israel’s offensive against Palestine and reiterated India’s support for the Palestinian cause, and called for immediate restoration of peace in the region.
Sardjoe said that Suriname has strong relations with India and cooperation exists across sectors such as education, health, energy, tourism, and reiterated his country’s support to India for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, and on all global forums to counter terrorism in all its forms.
PM Singh urged the conclave of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) to participate in the great adventure of human development in a free and open society. He also announced that holders of Overseas Citizen on India with professional qualifications, including doctors, dentists, pharmacists, engineers, architects and chartered accountants would now be able to practice their professions in India.
At the Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas function here, Dr. Singh also launched the ‘Global Indian Knowledge Network’ to serve as a virtual think tank and for sharing development ideas and knowledge. He also announced that the government has launched a comprehensive e-governance project on emigration under which every worker would be issued a ‘Smart Card’ containing details of the worker, his work contract, his employer and his insurance.
“The objective of the project will be to transform the emigration process into a simple, transparent, orderly and humane one,” he said.
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