The Hindu : National : U.P. crime Bill passed amid SP, BJP boycott

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 06, 2007
ePaper

National

National

U.P. crime Bill passed amid SP, BJP boycott

Special Correspondent

Legislation will give police unbridled powers: SP leader
“Consequences will be dangerous for ruling party MLAs”

LUCKNOW: The U.P. Control of Organised Crime Bill, 2007 is fraught with dangerous consequences for MLAs, including those of the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party, as it will give the police unbridled powers, Leader of the Opposition Mulayam Singh said in the Assembly on Monday.

Fearing misuse, he sought the intervention of Speaker Sukhdev Rajbhar and urged him to prevent the Bill becoming an Act.

Later when the Bill was passed by voice vote, the Samajwadi Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal boycotted the proceedings.

Earlier, participating in a debate, Mr. Singh said such “dangerous” laws did not exist even in Pakistan.

The SP leader lauded Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for not eliminating his political opponents including Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto.

Mr. Singh said the law would be used to crush political opponents.

Pointing out that laws already existed to punish perpetrators of organised and heinous crime, he said the measure would give the police a free hand to implicate opponents of the present regime in fake cases. Moving an amendment, Hukum Singh of the BJP said the Bill should be referred to a select committee. He also said the law would be used against opponents of the BSP regime. Pramod Tiwari of the Congress said the Bill should be withdrawn.

Earlier, almost the entire question hour was lost as the House remained adjourned for 60 minutes following the Opposition protest against the Chair’s refusal to allow a debate on Sachchi Ramayan (True Ramayan), which the BJP claimed contained objectionable references to Lord Rama and Sita.

When the House reassembled, the issue was again raised by Om Prakash Singh (BJP), who said the book denigrated Hindu deities and demanded that it be banned. The Leader of the Opposition also demanded a ban on sale of the book.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Lalji Verma denied that it was being sold in BSP offices and said the Mayawati government respected all eminent personalities and unlike the BJP “the ruling party does not believe in dividing society.” The BJP later staged a walkout.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National