The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Anti-terror laws

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Saturday, Sep 20, 2008
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Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Anti-terror laws

It is shocking to see the UPA government speak in different voices about handling terrorism. The Prime Minister calls for stronger anti-terror laws but his colleague Priyaranjan Dasmunsi says that our terror laws are stronger than those in U.K. and the U.S. and that we need to implement them in a better way (September 19). Where are we heading? The government and the opposition should stand united against terrorism and assure the people of this country that action will be taken against those who disrupt peace.

Dundi Ajay,

Bangalore

When a national consensus is required to combat the terror menace, it is unfortunate that the Information and Broadcasting Minister sends such conflicting signals, thereby creating confusion in the minds of the law enforcement agencies. The government should enact stringent terror laws and implement them without indulging in party and vote-bank politics.

B. Suresh Kumar,

Coimbatore

If the Minister’s declaration that our laws are much stronger than those in the U.S. is correct, how come terrorists are on the rampage, striking at will in every major city, emailing advance warnings with impunity? Do we find such instances in the U.S. after the tightening of their laws post-9/11?

R. Ramachandra Rao,

Hyderabad

More than a thousand innocent lives have been lost and thousands injured across the nation in the last four years with our so-called severe laws. We are not fighting any war with any nation. Rulers should not be misled by the opposition and their actions should not be in reaction to criticisms which are part of the system of democracy. Good governance should precede politics and not vice-versa.

Rettavayal S. Krishnaswamy,

Chennai

I appreciate the comment made by Mr. Dasmunsi on “toughening anti-terror laws.” On the sanctioning of the additional 6,000 posts for the IB and 7,612 more posts for the Delhi police, one must remember that it is not quantity that matters but the quality.

Alton,

Thiruvanathapuram

What is lacking is qualified and motivated staff due to the present policy of recruitment, promotion and posting of officers on deputation to the Intelligence Bureau and other agencies. Earlier, only graduates with first class or post-graduates with a minimum second class were recruited to the IB and those recruited were given one and a half years of training. Now anybody holding a degree certificate and fulfilling the norms for recruitment to any Central government job can apply for these posts. We need a rigorous recruitment process.

M. John Punnen,

Thiruvananthapuram

What’s in a name? That which we call POTA could be bitter by any other name to those who dilly-dally. If the UPA is allergic to POTA, let it be some other law but what we need is quick and effective action. It should be made clear to one and all that those who give shelter to terrorists, or extend any sort of indirect support, will have to face serious consequences.

P. U. Krishnan,

Udhagamandalam

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