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Shocking, says Gujarat

Special Correspondent

“Foolproof law needed to keep anti-national forces at bay ”

GANDHINAGAR: The State government has strongly reacted to the Union Cabinet’s decision to return the Gujarat Control of Organised Crime Bill for necessary amendments.

Cabinet spokesman and Health Minister Jaynarayan Vyas said the Centre’s “sudden decision” was “shocking” and indicated its “step-motherly attitude” to Gujarat.

Wondering why the Centre was against Gujarat having law similar to the one in Congress-ruled Maharashtra, Mr. Vyas said there was no need for the UPA government to keep the bill in cold storage for over five years before returning it for amendments.

For a State having over 500 km. of common border with another country not very friendly with India, a foolproof law to keep anti-national forces and divisive forces at bay was necessary, he said. But the Centre failed to appreciate this, he charged.

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Shaktisinh Gohil, himself an advocate, however, reminded the State government that even the BJP-led NDA government twice returned the Bill to the State for amendments.

He said some provisions were against Central Acts and the Constitution did not permit this.

Accusing the State government of lacking the will to fight terrorism, Mr. Gohil said if law alone could prevent terrorism, so many terror attacks would not have happened during the NDA regime when a strong act like the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) was in force.

He claimed that the “Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act” adopted by the Centre to replace POTA was strong enough to fight terrorism.

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