KEY MODI MINISTERS JOIN WORK

AMIT Shah on Tuesday took charge of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, with his deputies Nityanand Rai and Bandi Sanjay Kumar.

- MUKESH RANJAN

HOME AFFAIRS

Shah vows to build Bharat as bulwark against terrorism

Shah has been at the helm of affairs in the North Block since 2019. This is going to be his second consecutive term in the office.

Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reposing faith in him for the second term, Shah said, "The MHA will remain committed to the security of the nation and its people, as it always has been. Modi 3.0 will take its efforts for India's security to the next level and build Bharat as a bulwark against terrorism, insurgency, and Naxalism."

If Shah continues beyond one year, he would become the country's longest-serving home minister, as Congress' Govind Ballabh Pant and BJP's LK Advani headed the ministry for a little over six years.

Among the top unfinished tasks of his previous tenure include conducting assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and restoring statehood to the Union Territory, dealing with continued violence in Manipur, emergence of Khalistani sentiment in Punjab, implementation of three new criminal laws, Naga Peace Accord and the pending census.

The restoration of statehood in J&K after the polls rests on Shah, who would first like to focus on ensuring Pakistan's proxy war does not disrupt peace, sources said.

It appears that the Manipur government has not been able to curb ethnic violence in the state despite the Central government's backing. New theatres of violence are cropping up in the state and the latest being Jirbam district.

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Jaishankar clears air on terror and good neighbours

YESHI SELI @ New Delhi

INDIA'S relationship with its neighbours holds an overriding priority, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar emphasized on Tuesday as he assumed charge for the second time.