New Delhi: Government today (Dec 14, 2004) declared in Lok Sabha that it would pursue the path of dialogue to bring "misguided elements" back in the mainstream but asserted that national security interests would not be compromised at any cost.

In a 90-minute reply to a discussion on the internal security, Home Minister Shivraj Patil announced that 209 India Reserve Battalions would be raised to give employment to 2.09 lakh unemployed youths across the country.

He said the security forces would be given armoured vehicles, modern weapons and better telecommunication facilities to combat infiltration and terrorism.

The Minister disclosed that Government would bring forward a Bill to sternly deal with communal violence and provide for compensation to victims of such acts.

The Minister dwelt at length on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, North-eastern States as also the Naxalite problem affecting nine States besides other law and order problems in the country.

On the situation in J&K, he said infiltration has gone down by 60 per cent, incidents of violence by 24 per cent and killings by 12 per cent this year.

At the same time, attacks with rockets, grenades and mines against politicians and security force personnel had shown a rising trend in the sensitive border State, he said.