The Hindu

Mangalore, Dec 14:  Broadening the traditional concept of national security, Deputy National Security Adviser Shekar Dutt has said that today’s definition of security acknowledges political, economic, environmental, social and human strands that impact the concept of security.

Mr. Dutt, who was delivering the 22nd Dr. Ajudhia Nath Khosla Memorial Lecture at the National Institute of Technology-Karnataka in Surathkal on Sunday, pointed out that the traditionalist view of security is “focussed on the application of force” at the State level. According to Mr. Dutt, the prime challenges on the internal security front “arise partly as a consequence of the unevenness of our growth process and the shortcomings of our political institutions.” In this context, he said that a democratic government had to distinguish between genuine and legitimate expressions of dissent and disaffection and anti-national threats. He said that the challenge of differentiating between the two stemmed from the open society and free expression model that is followed in the country. He said, “This is not our weakness. It is our strength.”