West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan today asked security and intelligence agencies to be sensitive towards concerns of all communities, including minorities, while dealing with any crime and dismissed suggestions that there is any systemic bias towards anyone.
"For all sections of society -- x, y, z, police or intelligence agencies need to be sensitive...To the fact that there is a line that you really cannot cross," he said in an interactive session after delivering a lecture on "National Security: The Expanding Terrorist Dynamic"
He was replying to a question from chairperson of National Commission for Minorities Wajahat Habibullah on approach of security agencies towards some communities.
Narayanan said security agencies some times take action following pressure from media when a crime takes place.
"You have to remember the hysteria of media. Pressure, not by agencies but by outsiders. You can address them. I think the police and intelligence agencies are now far more sensitive to this," he said.
The former National Security Adviser said there is constant pressure after a crime takes place "that nothing has happened -- two days have gone etc, etc.
"Supposed there is a rape, police is under pressure to show the result within 24 hours -- to pick up somebody. We need pressure on us but not this kind of hysterical pressure," he said.
Narayanan said there was no systemic bias towards any community in the country but admitted that there could be individual cases.
"There may be individual bias but I do not think there is any systemic bias. We have to be sensitive to everyone's human rights, everyone's civil liberties.
"No citizen in the country should feel that he is being targeted or there is a bias against him," he said.
