The Vidhan Sabha passed the Uttar Pradesh Control of Organised Crime Act (UPCOCA) 2017 Bill through voice vote as entire opposition staged a walkout calling the Act as `draconian’ and precursor of undeclared emergency.
The Bill will now go to Vidhan Parishad where Government is in minority and easy passage of the Bill in Upper House will test the legislative acumen of the Government.
While initiating the debate CM Yogi Adityanath time and again said that this Act will not be mis-used and will act as an instrument to control organised crime, the opposition said it is a black law meant to control opposition, media, dalit and members of the minority community.
“It is undeclared emergency because only during emergency days the then government tried to gag media. This Act has certain provisions which are reminiscent of those days. A person can booked under UPCOCA at the whims and fancies of an inspector. The person cannot challenge his detention and this is against the spirit of natural justice,” leader of opposition Ram Govind Chaudhry said.
This was the first time when the entire opposition presented a united front and demanded that this Bill should be sent to the Select Committee. lalji Verma (BSP) said there are already enough provisions under IPC and CrPC and there was no need to hae a separate law. Ajay Kumar lalu (Congress) said that this Act has no provision to prosecute inspector if he books a persons under UPCOCA with willful intention.
Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya (independent) said this new Bill has no provision to challenge its imposition. “The Bill has give supreme power to a police inspector which is wrong,” he said.
A piquant situation rose in Vidhan Sabha when Azam Khan (SP) refused to speak when he was interrupted by the members of the treasury benches. Despite Speaker Hridaya Narain Dixit asked ruling members not to disrupt they continued interrupting the speech. Piqued Khan sat down saying if ruling party members do not want him to speak he will not speak.
Infuriated loP Ram Govind Chaudhry said that this attitude is the curtain raiser of things to come after UPCOCA is enacted. The ruling party will persecute opposition. As treasury benches have no respect for opposition we will not listen to the reply of the government. Saying so he trooped out of Vidhan Sabha along with other SP members.
The BSP and Congress too walked out of the House to protest ruling party members intolerance.
Initiating the debate on Thursday Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday appealed to the Opposition to support the UPCOCA Bill. “I can assure you that this Act will not infringe upon the democratic rights of Opposition leaders, nor is it being brought in for targeting opponents as BJP believes in ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. We have come here to serve the people and the state and not to take revenge,” the Chief Minister said.