New Delhi, Dec 1 (IANS) ‘Successful’ prosecution and conviction of Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab and access to interrogate Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Headley in the US are among the ‘notable achievements’ of the P. Chidambaram-led union home ministry since he took over three years ago.
Chidambaram took over as union home minister Dec 1, 2008, after his predecessor Shivraj Patil was asked to step down in the wake of the Nov 26 Mumbai attacks that year.
On his completion of three years in office, the home ministry Thursday listed ‘successful prosecution and conviction of Ajmal Kasab’ as the third ‘notable achievement’ in the long list of 75 since December 2008.
Kasab was the only one captured alive of 10 Pakistani terrorists who launched multiple terror attacks in Mumbai over three days Nov 26-29, 2008, striking at prominent locations in the city that left 166 people dead.
He has been convicted by an Indian court and sentenced to death. The Bombay High Court has upheld the death sentence.
Another major achievement the home ministry lists is getting access to Headley who is alleged to have given video clips, photographs and other graphic details of Mumbai to the LeT for planning the 2008 strike.
‘Access obtained to interrogate Headley,’ is number four on the list.
Sharing the list with the media, Home Secretary R.K. Singh said the National Investigation Agency, the premier terror probe body, would ‘shortly’ file charges against Headley, who is also of Pakistani origin.
Topping the list of achievements is establishment of the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) for better intelligence assessment at the national level.
The home secretary said security and investigating agencies have neutralised 58 terrorist modules.
‘Major terrorist module busted’ is the recent arrest of six Indian Mujahideen operatives allegedly involved in three terror strikes in India last year, the home secretary said.
Peaceful 2011 summer in Jammu and Kashmir and decline in militancy is at No.13 on the list of achievements.
While the home ministry has flagged 75 major achievements, it also has named five ‘notable setbacks’ in the last three years.
Among the setbacks are the three major terror attacks – Feb 13 Pune German Bakery blast, the July 13, 2011, Bombay serial blasts, and the Sep 9 Delhi High Court bombing.
The second major setback for the home ministry is ‘increase in violence and number of casualties in Left-wing extremism (Maoist violence) affected districts of Bihar and Maharashtra’.
Among other setbacks are violence and blockades in Manipur, trouble in Bodoland in Assam, and slow progress in talks with Naga separatist group Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM).
