Prime Minister Singh on Wednesday said India could afford no complacency in dealing with the situation created by massing of troops on the border by Pakistan and its moving ammunition to the forward areas and activating airfields.
Addressing the parliamentary consultative committee for the defense ministry, the prime minister said India had taken steps to deal with the emerging situation.
At the meeting, the prime minister outlined the final structure of the proposed national Security Council saying it would be an advisory body and work within the cabinet system.
The prime minister said the proposed national Security Council would be presided over by the prime minster and would comprise ministers of defense, external affairs, finance and home with other central ministers and chief ministers and experts attending the meeting.
The meeting lasting more than three hours, witnessing a fierce debate on the proposed national Security Council, with some members opposing it and others asking for the body to be given more teeth and demanding appointment of the national security adviser on the United States pattern.
The Congress I members of the committee almost tore to shreds the concept put forward by the government and said if the council had to be made more meaningful and responsible, it should be given more teeth and authority and made a statutory body.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 11, 1990
