Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday attended the 13th NIA Day celebrations of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as Chief Guest in New Delhi.
On the occasion, the Home Minister also presented awards to the officers of NIA for outstanding service.
In his address, the Union Home Minister said This day is very important for the NIA, as well as the Ministry of Home Affairs as NIA, is handling and pursuing a very important area of internal security with promptness and efficiency.
NIA is an inspiration for the Police and anti-Terrorism Agencies
He said that NIA investigates crimes where it is difficult to gather evidence, however, its achievements are an inspiration for the police and all anti-terrorism agencies of the country and I wholeheartedly congratulate the NIA family for this.
Shri Amit Shah said that as the Home Minister of the country, I can say with certainty that NIA has set a ‘Gold Standard’ with a more than 90 percent conviction rate, and NIA has a very important role to play in fulfilling the Prime Minister’s goal of a terror-free India and Zero Tolerance Against Terrorism.
The Home Minister said that I want to assure the NIA family that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government of India is moving ahead with a policy of zero-tolerance against terrorism, and the Government of India is fully committed to all assistance required by NIA.
He said India has progressed on the path of development and today in every field, global goals cannot be fulfilled without India, and therefore it is very important to ensure that the nation’s internal security is strong.
No greater violation of Human Rights than Terrorism
Shri Amit Shah said terrorism is a curse for any civilized society, and India has suffered the greatest pain from this curse.
There can be no greater violation of human rights than terrorism, that is why complete eradication of terrorism is very important to protect human rights, NIA should work determinedly to end terrorism.
Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that the NIA has done wonderful work over the past seven years in many difficult areas and I would like to make a special mention of Jammu and Kashmir.
He said battling terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir is one aspect, but rooting out terrorism is another, and, if we want to uproot terrorism, then we will have to demolish its terror funding systems.
With NIA registering terror funding cases, I can confidently say that NIA has greatly helped in rooting out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir through registration of terror funding cases after Shri Modi became Prime Minister.
NIA has helped in rooting out terrorism in Kashmir
The Home Minister said that he can confidently say that NIA has greatly helped in rooting out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir. Due to NIA’s alertness, financial routes of terrorists have been shut down, NIA has registered a number of cases against the overground workers in Jammu and Kashmir and done well in destroying their sleeper cells.
The cases registered by the NIA for the first time in 2018 and 2019 have not left easy avenues to provide money to terrorists today. This has dealt a severe blow to both their logistics and supply of arms.
The NIA has exposed the identity of those who help terrorism and yet live with dignity in society, and has taken them to court.
The NIA has also started investigating cases of Left Wing Extremism have been provided ammunition and logistics some cases have been given to the NIA to investigate Terror Funding as well as the origin of the funding of Left Wing Extremist Organizations and it is hoped that just as in Jammu-Kashmir, they will achieve major success there also.
105 cases related to terror funding were registered, 94 charge sheets were filed against 876 accused, and 796 accused have been arrested, out of which 100 accused have also been convicted, which is a major achievement.
Mutual Coordination amongst different Agencies
Shri Shah said it has been the government’s efforts to coordinate sharing of all terrorism-related information with police and agencies of all States, strengthen anti-terror laws, give power to anti-terrorist institutions and the aim should be 100 percent conviction in terror cases.
Anti-terrorism operations can progress on these four pillars and I am glad that NIA has progressed very well on these pillars.
He said that if we analyze the terrorism cases in the country from 2000 to 2022, then many incidents come to mind, but some incidents are such that trigger reforms in the system.
The Mumbai terror attack was one such incident after which the National Anti-Terror Agency was formed and a plan was also put into motion for Coastal Security.
He said that all agencies became aware of the need to crack down on terror financing and there has also been a qualitative improvement in the terror investigation.
He said further that there are also time-bound programs on the right use of intelligence systems and intelligence at the right time.
He said that police and all agencies, learning from this barbaric attack, have today strengthened their anti-terrorist operation.
The Union Home Minister said that NIA has been in existence for 13 years, during this period more than 400 cases have been registered, challans have been filed in more than 349 cases, 2,494 criminals have been apprehended, 391 persons have been successfully sentenced and the conviction ratio is 93.25 percent.
Recent Amendments to empower NIA
Home Minister said that much work has been done since 2014 on NIA’s empowerment after the formation of the government under the leadership of Shri Narendra Modi. We want NIA to be strong and it should receive global recognition as an anti-terrorism agency.
He said we have worked to strengthen the NIA Act and the UAPA Act, in any terrorist attack outside India where Indian casualties take place, the authority to investigate such cases has been given to NIA.
In the new amendment, we have also given powers to the NIA to stop infiltration, explosive substances, and cybercrime.
Earlier NIA had the authority to declare organizations as terrorist organizations, now for the first time, we have given authority to NIA to declare organizations, as well as individuals as terrorists and so far 36 persons, have been declared terrorists.
Creating a National Database in Seven Key Areas
Shri Amit Shah said there should be major changes in investigation methodology, it should no longer depend on Third Degree methods and instead on technology, data, and information.
There should be a database to bring about this change, NIA has been given the task of creating a national database in seven areas – narcotics, hawala transactions, arms smuggling, counterfeit currencies, bomb blasts, terror funding, and terrorism, and work has begun on a good note.
If this national database is created, then it will be of great help not only to national agencies but also to police agencies. Shri Shah said the NIA should help BPR&D in studying the Modus Operandi used by terrorists to trap young boys.
Shri Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government also wants to make radical changes in the CrPC, IPC, and Evidence Act.
He said that I used to lay great emphasis on training of NIA and I am happy that in July 2021, an agreement has been signed with the National Police Academy, Hyderabad for training and capacity building of NIA and this work is moving ahead.
A cell of two experts has also been set up to develop NIA at par with other powerful global agencies and enhance its professional skills.
Importance of Internal Security for the $5 Trillion Economy
Shri Shah said Prime Minister Modi has set a target of a US $ 5 trillion economy and it is very important to ensure internal security to achieve this target.
He said the nation is celebrating its 75th year of Independence and during this Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, NIA should also set its goals for the next 25 years and prepare a roadmap to achieve its goals.
He said that NIA should consolidate and institutionalize its success. Shri Shah said that NIA is a national agency and unless it is institutionalized, and, the systems, information, and methods of use of information are not institutionalized, further progress is not possible.