With USA President Barack Obama scheduled to attend the Republic Day parade, the security in the national Capital will be on all time high. Intelligence agencies around the globe will be watching and monitoring the activities of various outfits inimical to India and United States. The real issue that will require the attention of Indian security agencies is maintaining the safety and security of Obama visit. The Election Commission of India is most likely to conduct Assembly polls in Delhi somewhere in February of the next year.
The major worry is that the Indian Capital is already on the radar of many terrorist groups. The focus of these outfits may intensify in the wake of Obama’s visit. The Election Commission of India (ECI) officials say manning the security arrangements during the run up to the polls and till the declaration of the results will be an uphill task in the light of heightened security threat. It may be noted that President Barack Obama will be the chief guest of Republic Day parade on January 26, 2015. The US and India security agencies will be on their toes as the President will be in the open at the Saluting Pad along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Sources in the ECI told The Pioneer that security management during upcoming Assembly polls in the national Capital will be challenged for the Commission following the Barack Obama visit. The Commission is seriously examining the security implications after Obama’s visit to Delhi and its impact on the upcoming Assembly polls.
“The focus of Muslim countries and terror outfits would be on Delhi during the visit of President Obama. The security arrangements would have to be ensured after Obama’s visit too. Besides, the situation has been aggravated due to recent communal violence in the some assembly segments and deteriorating law and order in the national Capital,” said sources.
The ECI’s worry stems from the fact that antisocial elements may try to foment communal tension in the sensitive areas of the city to vitiate the atmosphere. The recent clashes in Trilokpuri area over a religious congregation have stretched the East district police and it required sustained police action to bring the situation to normalcy. There are many such areas that are trouble spots. ECI officials say they will have to revisit the sensitive and hyper-sensitive areas to ensure the mobilization of security forces. Trans-Yamuna areas are already in the hyper-sensitive category. It requires fresh security assessment of the hyper sensitive Walled City and Jamia areas to ensure incident free elections.
The presence of sleeper cells in the peripheral areas of the national Capital is another cause for worry. Delhi Police and security agencies are already in concert and raids are continuing to identify the trouble mongers who could be used by India’s enemies safely ensconced in Pakistan. The strained relationship between the two countries is another potent reason that looms large over the safety and security of the city during assembly elections. There are intercepts to suggest that terrorist groups owing allegiance to Pakistan may try to step up their activities to target leaders during campaigning, the source said.