Since 2014, the Narendra Modi government has committed itself to freeing India's democracy from the scourge of terrorism and violence. Over the last decade, the Modi government took comprehensive legislative reforms. It implemented effective strategic measures aimed at bolstering resilience against terrorism and violence, encompassing various regions grappling with separatism, insurgency, and extremist threats. It has not only considered it necessary to deal with terrorism but has also dealt with blowing up its ecosystem. The Modi government has adopted the zero-tolerance policy and made a strategy to eliminate terrorism.
Before 2014, there was no consistency in policies in dealing with terrorism. The Terrorist & Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act of 1987 was created primarily to deal with terrorist activities in India. TADA was challenged as being unlawful when it was enacted before the nation's top court. In the case of Kartar Singh v. the State of Punjab (1994), the Supreme Court of India maintained its constitutional legitimacy on the presumption that individuals given such draconian statutory powers would act in good faith and for the benefit of the public. However, TADA was repealed in 1995 by the then Congress Government.
It became necessary to enact a special law to deal with terrorist actions due to the increase in cross-border terrorism, the Pakistani ISI's ongoing offensive program aimed at destabilizing India, and the developments following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Accordingly, the then Vajpayee Government passed the Prevention of Terrorism Act in 2002 (POTA, 2002). This law was similar to other anti-terrorism laws passed in major democracies worldwide. However, when UPA came to power in 2004, the legislation was repealed as part of government appeasement politics. Repealing or lapsing laws was seen as a weakness of the state and strengthened anti-national elements and organizations.
The Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) was not a terror law from 1967 until 2004. In December 2004, the Indian Parliament added a section on criminalizing terrorist acts. It was then again amended in 2008, but the law was ineffective in deterring acts of terrorism in the country.
However, along with comprehensive and meaningful changes in anti-terrorism law, UAPA, by the Modi government has brought an enormous change in regions grappling with separatism, insurgency, and extremist threats. The UAPA was amended in 2019 to make it effective by broadening its application by the Modi government. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2019 was introduced in the parliament. The Unlawful Activities Prevention Amendment (UAPA) Act of 2019 introduced provisions to declare individuals as designated terrorists. The central government could designate an individual as a terrorist through a notification in the official gazette, and add his name to the Fourth Schedule to the UAPA. The government was not required to give an individual an opportunity to be heard before such a designation. Till March 2024, there are about 57 individual designated as terorrists under UAPA, prior to this amendment, only organizations could be designated as terrorist organization.
The Amendment also provided special procedures to deal with terrorist activities, including attaching properties acquired from proceeds of terrorism. Further, earlier, only officers of the rank of DSP and above were empowered to investigate cases under UAPA. The Amendment empowered officers with the rank of inspectors and above to do the same. Over time, the inspector rank officers have acquired sufficient proficiency to investigate UAPA-related cases.
As a result, the 2019 amendment has quickened the delivery of justice in UAPA-related cases.
Along with these legislative measures, the Modi government adopted a different policy in each theatre.
A strong message was given to those who did not respect the peace in the Kashmir valley by adopting a zero-tolerance policy against them. The Indian Army launched surgical strikes against terrorist camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The strike in 2016 was in response to an attack by Pakistan-based terrorists on an army base in Kashmir's Uri, in which 19 soldiers were killed. The Prime Minister realized there was a "rage" building up within him as well as the Army after soldiers were killed in the terror attack in Uri. The Indian Army wanted justice for soldiers killed in the Uri attack, and the Modi government gave them the "free hand" to plan and execute the surgical strikes.
On February 26, 2019, the Balakot attack or airstrike was carried out by the Indian Air Force (IAF). Balakot airstrike was a tribute paid by the Modi government to 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans who lost their lives in the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, 2019. In a swift and calculated move, the Modi government struck the terror camps in Balakot, situated deep inside Pakistani territory, sending a strong message that India would not tolerate cross-border terrorism. In 12 days in February 2019, the world saw a "new India," which, unlike in the past, was unafraid to hunt down its tormentors hiding in another country.
The Modi government abolished Articles 370 and 35A, which was fuelling separatism in Jammu & Kashmir for years. After the abrogation of these articles, people in Kashmir got constitutional rights; today, there are more than 30,000 local representatives. Apart from this, more than 100 laws of the country that were not applicable in Jammu & Kashmir were implemented for the people of Kashmir. In addition, by placing tablets and laptops in the hands of the stone-carrying youth, PM Modi has given them the right to connect with India's growth story. Narendra Modi government has done the work of connecting youth with the development of Kashmir by making him a tourist guide instead of a terrorist standing with a gun.
Pakistan has used the threat of nuclear weapons as a "magic word" to deter India from punishing terrorists hiding across the border. It drummed up hysteria over a possible nuclear war after New Delhi revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. However, the Modi government's strikes and abrogation of Article 370 have called Pakistan's nuclear bluff. Unlike the previous governments, the message of the Modi government to Pakistan has been very clear: 'Do what you want', but a nuclear threat won't deter India. It will take action if its national interests are harmed.
If we speak of the numbers, Abrogation of Article 370 Leads to a Safer Kashmir, 10-fold Reduction in Terror Incidents in last 10 years, 72% reduction in civilian casualties. 59% reduction in casualties wrt Security Personnel. 10-fold reduction in Cross-border Infiltration between 2010 and 2023. 35-fold reduction in Ceasefire Violations btween 2010-2023.
In the Northeast, over the last decade, the Modi government has signed 11 peace agreements which more than 9,000 youth have given up arms and become mainstream. The Modi government has worked to resolve border, racial, and religious disputes in the Northeast. AFSPA has been removed from more than 70 per cent of the area. The Narendra Modi government has spent Rs 14 lakh crore on infrastructure development in the Northeast in just ten years between 2014 and 2024. Rail and air connectivity is increasing in all Northeast states of India.
In the Left Wing Extremism-affected areas, PM Modi took many development and poor welfare schemes to the grassroots level. The Modi government has moved forward in this direction with the whole-government approach. The government emphasized education, poor welfare schemes for people experiencing poverty, strengthening infrastructure, and negotiation and peace agreements. It drove the poor tribal people away from the leftist extremists. Due to this, the popular support base of the extremists was cut off, and by following a strict policy against those who had weapons in their hands, the Narendra Modi government by strengthening the security arrangements in the entire area reduced incidents of violence by 52%.
In comparison of UPA 2005-14 vs 2014-23, there have been 72% reduction in death of security forces in LWE, there has been 69% reduction in LWE related deaths , nearly 68% reduction in the death of Civilians.
To conclude, the appeasement policy of the governments before 2014 had created many problems for the country. There was violence and unrest in Jammu and Kashmir, left-wing extremist-affected areas, and the Northeast for decades due to several wrong policies. For over 65 years, India had to face terrorism, extremism, and left-wing extremism, and thousands of innocent civilians and security personnel became victims. However, internal security became one of its top priorities when the Narendra Modi government came to power in 2014. Over the last decade, through legislative and strategic measures, the Modi government has proved to be highly successful in curbing terrorism and violent incidents across the country. Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, India has successfully built a strong internal security network today.
