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Chiefs of staff must be included in National Security Council: Jaya

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham chief J Jayalalitha has told Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that the chiefs of army, navy and air force should be made permanent members of the National Security Council.

She took up the matter during her meeting with Vajpayee yesterday following a request made by the United Services Institution members in New Delhi in this regard. The USI is the official think-tank for the three armed forces.

Vajpayee assured Jayalalitha that he would 'seriously consider the request', according to a media statement issued by the AIADMK in Madras.

The USI members had pointed out to Jayalalitha that during the past 40 years the chiefs of staff could not be present in the key Cabinet meetings discussing such matters.

Jayalalitha was briefed about the security related issues by USI director, Lieutenant General Sathish Nambiar and senior members.

In her response, she said the armed forces deserved the gratitude of all the citizens for their "willingness to put their very lives on the line in the defence of national interests".

As for the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu, the statement said, "Today the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam had once again emerged as a threat and forest brigand Veerappan, whose gang was reduced to five members by 1996 due to the relentless drive launched by the AIADMK government, was once more a menace.''

UNI

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