The Hindu : Front Page : Patil rejects demand for POTA-like law

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Thursday, Aug 30, 2007
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Patil rejects demand for POTA-like law

Special Correspondent

‘It will increase terror incidents’

NEW DELHI: The Central government said on Wednesday that the idea of setting up a federal investigating agency to deal with terror attacks such as the recent Hyderabad blasts could no longer be brushed aside. A consensus on it among the State governments would have to be evolved.

Replying to a heated debate on the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party-sponsored adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil rejected the demand for enacting an anti-terror law on the lines of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).

Dichotomy in stand

The Minister said that a draconian law would only lead to more incidents of terrorism as police excesses and atrocities tended to increase. Even a law like POTA had not been able to completely control incidents.

He criticised the “dichotomy” in the BJP’s stand — while in the past it favoured repeal of anti-terror law like TADA, it was now rooting for tougher laws like POTA.

On the concept of a federal investigating agency, Mr. Patil said that it should be carefully examined. “The government will not do anything in this regard till a consensus is evolved.”

To a query by the Leader of the Opposition, L.K. Advani, whether Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajashekhara Reddy had voiced the need for a stringent anti-terror law, Mr. Patil said no such demand had been made to him.

Mr. Patil asked all governments to expand their police forces to maintain law and order which was a necessity for economic development.

The Centre had already increased the strength of the paramilitary forces such as the BSF, the CRPF, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the Sashstra Seema Bal.

The special branches in the State police needed to be strengthened so that intelligence gathering machinery could be properly used.

The adjournment motion was negated by voice vote following which the Opposition members staged a walkout.

Mr. Advani accused the government of failing on three crucial fronts — preventing terrorist strikes, investigating such incidents properly and ensuring judicial punishment to the perpetrators of ghastly crimes.

It should refrain from following an “appeasement policy” towards the minorities. Ten major terror attacks had occurred in the past two years.

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