Monday, June 27 2005 13:24 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: In the backdrop of reports that the Centre has suspended fencing along the 4,000 km stretch of the Indo-Bangladesh border, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, has clarified that the fencing process is on.

The Indo-Bangladesh border is nearly 4,000km where the fencing is being done in two phases. "The task of first phase is completed and we are in the process of erecting the fence in the second phase," Patil told Doordarshan.

"So, nearly 2,000km fencing has been done and remaining 2,000km fencing is being done," he said adding border fencing is beneficial to both India and Bangladesh.

He said fencing along Jammu and Kashmir's Line of Control (LoC) is giving result as the infiltration has come down substantially.

"In Jammu and Kashmir, the border fencing has been done and that is giving result also. The infiltration has come down by 69 percent," Patil said.

Answering a question on human rights allegedly violated at times by security forces during anti-terrorist operations, the Home Minister said, "In India sometimes the issue takes a proportion which creates problems for members of the forces who stake their lives to protect the lives, liberties and properties of others."

"Sometimes, those who are involved in terrorist activities use these as a weapon to see that those who are in the process of controlling them do not get the kind of support, which the society can give them," he said.