Urging a collective commitment to root out terrorism in the 32nd Northern Zonal Council meeting, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday asserted to trace the culprits of the Delhi bomb blast even from the "netherworld", brought before the country's judicial system, and ensure the strictest punishment to them.
At the beginning of the meeting, Shah along with the Chief Minister and Lieutenant Governors as well as an administrator of member states and the Union Territories (UTs) paid tributes and held two minutes of silence in memory of those who lost their lives in the November 10 deadly car bomb blast took place near iconic Red Fort in Delhi and the November 14 explosion at Nowgam Police Station in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the gathering, Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, eliminating terrorism from its roots is our collective commitment.
The Minister, as per a Home Ministry statement, said that in line with the track record of the Modi government so far, "the culprits of the Delhi bomb blast will be traced even from the netherworld, brought before the country's judicial system, and given the strictest possible punishment."
A total of 15 people lost their lives while 32 people sustained injuries in the blast, which occurred around 7 pm on November 10 in a moving Hyundai i20 car being driven by a suicide bomber.
However, nine people lost their lives, 32 people, including 27 policemen personnel, two revenue officials, and three civilians, sustained injuries in the Nowgam Police station blast that occurred around 11.20 pm on November 14 while examining some explosives recovered from terrorists during raids carried out by the agencies in Haryana's Faridabad, following the Delhi car blast incident.
Chairing the meeting, Shah said Modi's vision is that strong states create a strong nation, and Zonal Councils play a very important role in translating this into reality on the ground.
"Zonal Councils are extremely important for dialogue, cooperation, coordination, and 'policy synergy'. Many types of problems have been resolved through these councils," said the Home Minister. Shah said that even now, there are several issues, such as delays in ensuring speedy justice in crimes against women and children, malnutrition, and stunting, that the country needs to be freed from.
Emphasising speedy investigation in cases of sexual offences and rape under the POCSO Act against women and children, Shah said that no civilised society can accept such heinous crimes. Shah said that the safety of women and children is our top priority; for this, the number of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSC) should be increased. -- ANI