Strict laws needed for war on terror, asserts HM; LS gives nod to Bill to amend UAPA
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said he didn’t consider urban Maoists as ideologists and would strongly deal with them for unleashing terror in tribal regions. Defending the amendments to the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), which was passed by the Lok Sabha, he reiterated strong laws are needed to tackle terrorists as well as their supporters and fund-raisers.
Explaining the need for strengthening the National Investigation Agency, Shah asked the Opposition to shed their vote-bank politics while dealing the terror related cases.
“Left-wing violence was initially considered as ideological and gullible people were misguided to kill others. I don’t consider these urban Maoists as ideologists. These people are the supporters and propaganda agents of the Maoist elements unleashing terror in tribal region and using the poor tribal people. We have no sympathy towards them. We will deal with them sternly,” he said, responding to NCP’s Supriya Sule’s objections on police “atrocities” against Maoist ideologists and booking them under UAPA.
The Congress and the TMC boycotted the proceedings ahead of voting on the Bill. “What can we do if you are boycotting. You are angry over vote bank,” Shah said.
During a division of votes, demanded by AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi for consideration of the Bill, as many as 287 MPs supported it and only eight opposed it.
Hitting out at the Congress for opposing the amendment, he said if the UPA was correct in amending anti-terror laws in their tenure, then so is the NDA. Shah reminded that UAPA Bill was first introduced by Indira Gandhi and many amendments were made during Congress regimes till Manmohan Singh. “I am supporting all those and have no objection to it. We are just strengthening your UAPA Act,” he said, slamming the Congress MPs for objecting the amendments to strengthen NIA.
Radical preachers are propagating ideology of hate and terrorism, Shah said, claiming that terrorism is born out of a person’s mindset and is not about institutions. “It is the priority of the Government to root out terrorism,” he said.
“Some (Opposition) members said that we have destroyed the federal structure by bringing this amendment. If the federal structure has been destroyed then it was destroyed during the UPA time as the law was enacted then,” he said. If somebody indulges in terrorist activities then definitely the NIA will seize his computers and other devices, he added.
“Some MPs were saying police will enter homes to check the computers. Yes. Police will enter if they use computers to propagate terrorism. That is the duty of the police,” said Shah slamming the Opposition and reiterating that country need strong laws to tackle the terrorists, their supporters and fund raisers.