Congress unveils national security plan

New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday unveiled its national security plan, which envisages enhancing the defence budget and introducing a comprehensive integrated border management system. However the party made it amply clear that though its approach towards national security is not “adhoc or impulsive’, it will not overshadow other core issues like farm distress and unemployment.

The Congress released its report on national security which has been prepared by a taskforce headed by Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda (Retd) and said the issue was important, but it would be “completely wrong” to say that it was dominating the poll narrative.

It was unveiled in the presence of senior Congress leaders P. Chidambaram and Jairam Ramesh.

“The number one issue remains unemployment. The number two issue is farm distress and the number three issue is security of various sections of the people, women, dalits, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, forest dwellers, journalists, academicians, NGOs,” Mr Chidambaram told reporters.

Asked whether this report, which has been made public during the Lok Sabha elections, is meant to change the narrative on national security, he said, “National security is an important aspect of the narrative. But to say that it is dominating the narrative is completely wrong.” The former home minister said the Congress and its chief Rahul Gandhi has been speaking about jobs, farm, distress and security of different sections of people every day during campaigning.

Mr Chidambaram informed that the report is a broad outline of how to approach the issue of national security.

“We have taken several features of Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda’s plan (in the manifesto). These ideas will be implemented when we form our government. Our approach is not ad hoc, our approach is not impulsive. It is after a careful study and deliberation and necessary measures will be taken. Our interest is to protect India’s national security,” the senior Congress said.

Lt. Gen. Hooda, while presenting the report, said there are five pillars of national security in the report. Assuring India its “rightful place” in global affairs, securing India’s neighbourhood, peaceful resolution of internal conflicts like the J&K issue and ensuring “Jan Suraksha”, the main goal of national security of protecting the people, he said.

“The fifth and final pillar of national security is strengthening our capabilities. We have drafted the report based on a roadmap for enhancing our hard power,” he said.

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