Advani asks states to face terror with fortitude

Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani on Wednesday said India's future will be determined by the success of the pluralistic and democratic society in determining the ideology of bigotry and hate that drives terrorism.

In his introductory remarks at the Inter-State Council meeting in Srinagar, Advani said India has been waging a lone and long battle against terrorism for over two decades.

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"This unconventional warfare is not merely a border problem or a law and order issue, not only the territorial sovereignty of our nation is under threat, the dimensions of economic devastation unleashed by the terror machine has affected our economic growth. The new war is unfortunately violent and we have been having enough taste of it at our very doorsteps almost every day," he said.

"Let us face the multifarious challenges of terror with solidarity and fortitude. I will exhort the states to make use of this forum to discuss the problems being faced by them in the campaign by terrorism," he added.

Advani also complimented the Jammu and Kashmir government for staging the meet.

"It is a historic day in the annals of the council. For the first time, the council is meeting outside Delhi," he said.

Dwelling on the center-state relationship Advani said the Inter-State Council may be used as the coordination and 'cleaning house' by the states for speedy implementation of their own master plans of good governance.