On the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the Prime Minister said there had been a “marked improvement” in the security scenario in the state in the last few years but admitted that the controversy relating to the Amarnath land transfer had “offset some of the gains” made. “The situation is still fragile and needs careful handling,” he said.

Referring to the proposal to set up a federal investigating agency, the PM said: “Perhaps, there is no need to set up a new agency, and instead we ought to ensure better coordination and integration among the existing agencies for devising an effective counter-terrorism strategy,” he said.

In an apparent reference to the recent violence against Christians in Orissa and Karnataka, the Prime Minister expressed concern at growing dissent and agitations “over any kind of issues” that are “increasingly finding expression in mindless destruction of public property, attacks on police posts and other government establishments.” He said such incidents had led to growing concerns and perception among the people “about the dilution of the writ of the state.”

“I am constrained, and feel sad, to observe that all this is not in the national interest and will hurt our progress. At a time when the world looks upon India as a rising power, the Indian state cannot be allowed to become so diminished that it cannot even protect public property,” he said.