In a big push for India’s national security, the Rajya Sabha, on Wednesday, passed the National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill 2019 with a voice vote, allowing it to probe terrorist acts against Indians and Indian interests abroad. The Bill has been already passed by the Lok Sabha on July 15 amid objections by the Opposition.
The Upper House witnessed a heated discussion on the NIA Amendment Bill in the afternoon. The latest amendments will enable the NIA to additionally investigate offenses related to human trafficking, counterfeit currency, manufacture or sale of prohibited arms, cyber-terrorism, and offenses under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908.
Participating in the debate, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that Opposition should not undermine the efficiency of the bill and the legislation will not be misused. Participating in the debate, Shah defended the government for not filing an appeal against the acquittal of all four accused, including the radical right-wing’s Swami Aseemanand, in the 2007 Samjhauta Express blastscase.
Replying to Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi’s citing a special NIA Court observing that National Investigation Agency (NIA) had miserably failed to prove charges against main accused Swami Aseemanand and three others in the Samjhauta train blast case, Shah said the charge sheet in the case was filed by the Congress government.
“Prosecution agency argues the case (in the court) based on evidence in the charge sheet... In Samjhauta blast case, the charge sheet was filed on August 9, 2012, when your (Congress) government was in power. A second challan was field on June 12, 2013, when UPA was in power. Challan was filed with no proof (against) the accused. The case was registered out of political vendetta,” he alleged. “Punishment is based on the charge sheet.”
“How could they (Assemanand and three others) be punished when there was no proof,” he said. “What will judge do when there was no proof in the charge sheet?”
On the question of doing the same in Pakistan, he said the Modi Government through surgical and airstrikes after the Uri and CRPF attacks has shown it can strike inside the enemy territory.
“Don’t worry about Pakistan,” he said, adding there are other foreign countries which would reciprocate in dealing with terrorist acts against Indian and their properties. He appealed to the House to pass the amendment unanimously to give a united message against terrorism.