Amit Shah will continue to be India’s Home Minister in the third term of the Narendra Modi government as per the list of portfolio allocation released on Monday evening. This would be Amit Shah’s second straight term as the Union Home Minister and essentially ensures that the pace of work in the sensitive ministry sees no disruption.
In his first term as Union Home Minister, Shah had pioneered efforts in internal security-related areas. Despite the strides in national and internal security made in his first tenure, challenges do await Amit Shah in the second innings.
This time, the Union Home Ministry will have two Ministers of State — Bandi Sanjay Kumar and Nityanand Rai. Last time, the ministry had three Ministers of State, but two of them lost from their respective seats in the Lok Sabha elections.
Crackdown on terrorism will continue to be the top priority for Amit Shah, as evidenced by the terror attack on pilgrims in J&K’s Reasi district even as ministers were taking oath in the national capital.
With Jammu and Kashmir gearing up for elections this year and the Amarnath Yatra also scheduled in the next four months, the terror attack, which killed nine pilgrims from other states, brings home the urgency and gravity of ongoing efforts to ensure peace in the Union Territory.
Occupying the top spot among priorities is also the situation in ethnic strife-hit Manipur in the Northeast. The state has witnessed ethnic violence for more than a year now, the situation made graver by stealing of arms and ammunition, crimes against women and against security officials. The situation is improving after multiple attempts at restoring peace, but the pace has been slow.
Weapons stolen during the violence, including AK series guns and automatic rifles, remain untraceable. Scores of people caught in the conflict have been forced to seek shelter in Assam. Manipur will need immediate efforts to restore peace and that would take more than a year, say top officials posted in the northeastern state.
Similarly, Khalistani terrorism has become a major concern for the Union government, especially after the victory of radicalised preacher Amritpal Singh in Lok Sabha elections. The development hints at the prospect that pro-Khalistani sentiments are not only being pushed from outside the country, but may have a few takers within as well.
In his previous tenure, the Amit Shah-led ministry made visible and commendable strides in cracking down on Naxalism. In his new term as Home Minster, it is expected that the security forces would be able to completely wipe out Naxalism, but development in the former Red zones would need to be taken up on war footing. States like Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand would need special focus.
Another challenge growing its tentacles across India is cyber crime. According the official data of the Ministry of Home Affairs, cyber crime has been rising by the day. Till last year, around 5,000 complaints were being reported on the national portal, but the number has increased by 40% per day. Protecting the data of Indian citizens and keeping the country’s cyber infrastructure safe are vital to protect India’s financial system.
The Bharatiya Sakshya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Bill, and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill would come into effect on July 1, replacing the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Indian Evidence Act and the Code of Criminal Procedure. Ensuring a smooth transition falls to the Home Ministry. The government, since its previous tenure, has been conducting training sessions for judicial officers and police officers, but implementation would be a big task for the Home Minister.
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