The Home Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, today said the use of violence as an instrument of protest was the biggest challenge before the country.
While the old evils such as communalism, casteism and parochialism remain, there are new challenges as well, he said in his address at the National Integration Council meeting here.
“The biggest challenge is the use of violence as an instrument of protest or an instrument of change. Insurgency, militancy and terrorism threaten to unravel the idea of India,” he said.
The Home Minister said it was natural to focus on violent attacks of terrorist groups but attention must be given to the violence unleashed by ideologically driven Left wing extremists and recalcitrant separatist groups in northeastern States.
While referring to the agenda being discussed at the meeting, Mr Chidambaram said each one of the four agenda items has the same underlying theme — violence which threatens to destroy the foundation of our national life.
The issues being discussed at the NIC meeting include communal violence, a visible example of primeval attitudes of groups that seek to dominate or subjugate other groups and discrimination against minorities.