Don't communalise terrorism: Opposition to Centre
Government rules out revival of POTA to deal with terror suspects.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: As the government repeated the familiar ‘never again’ proclamations and promises to punish those involved in terror attacks in Parliament on Wednesday, the Opposition mounted a frontal attack on the government for being ‘recklessly non-serious’ about internal security. During the debate on an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha, the government ruled out reviving laws like POTA to meet the challenges posed by terrorism.
Leader of the Opposition, who spearheaded the Opposition’s attack, blamed the government’s anxiety to make the policy direction suit the sensitivities of grievance mongers and community alarmists for the current state of affairs. “Every country, which is affected by terrorism has put in place tough anti-terror laws. We have the highest civilian casualties after Iraq. But when we talk about the need for a law to tackle the problem, there is a cynical attempt to see it through a communal prism,” Mr Advani said.
Mr Advani draw the attention of the treasury to the strong laws of Maharashtra to tackle organised and freelance forms of terror. He said the Andhra Pradesh chief minister himself has been talking about the need for a new law. “If you continue to communalise the war of terror, the consequences will be grave,” Mr Advani said. The Opposition leader also said the government’s pandering to hardline elements with extraordinary indulgence was complicating things within the country.
But home minister Shivraj Patil, who was at the receiving end of the attack from the NDA, SP and even the CPM, said that the existing law was sufficient to deal with the problem. Ruling out the opposition’s demand for a POTA-like anti-terror law, Patil said the “draconian law” had given rise to situations that bred terrorists and created problems for the innocent people.
He, however, said the government was open to the idea of having a federal investigating agency to deal with situations like the Hyderabad blasts, but would wait for a consensus on it. “The concept floated for a federal investigating agency should not be brushed aside. Let it be carefully looked into. The Government of India will not do anything in this regard till a consensus is developed,” Mr Patil said.
The Rajya Sabha, too, sent out a message to the government that its current approach will just not do. Ms Sushma Swaraj and Mr Amar Singh said that the spate of attacks show a complete failure of the government. “Ministers make a beeline for on-the-spot visits. They condole deaths and speak about the resilience of the people. And after that it is business as usual,” he said.
Mr Amar Singh said the National Security Adviser has been claiming that he had information about the attack in Hyderabad. “Is he just a postman? Does his job end with informing state governments about terror activities?” asked Mr Singh.
Unlike past debates on the issue, the discussion in the Lok Sabha saw the ruling side refraining from the calls for sympathy and understanding of the root causes of terrorism. It may be recalled that this used to be favourite theme of the speeches of the home minister and his colleagues.
The debate also saw the two sides attempting score points at each other. If the Opposition attacked the government for its failure to come to grips with the terrorists lurking on out doorsteps, the ruling side retaliated by saying that the NDA government did not have a good track record. The “you are soft on terror” charge from the Opposition was countered with “I have never done what some of them did — escorting terrorists in a special aircraft” riposte.
Leader of the Opposition, who spearheaded the Opposition’s attack, blamed the government’s anxiety to make the policy direction suit the sensitivities of grievance mongers and community alarmists for the current state of affairs. “Every country, which is affected by terrorism has put in place tough anti-terror laws. We have the highest civilian casualties after Iraq. But when we talk about the need for a law to tackle the problem, there is a cynical attempt to see it through a communal prism,” Mr Advani said.
Mr Advani draw the attention of the treasury to the strong laws of Maharashtra to tackle organised and freelance forms of terror. He said the Andhra Pradesh chief minister himself has been talking about the need for a new law. “If you continue to communalise the war of terror, the consequences will be grave,” Mr Advani said. The Opposition leader also said the government’s pandering to hardline elements with extraordinary indulgence was complicating things within the country.
But home minister Shivraj Patil, who was at the receiving end of the attack from the NDA, SP and even the CPM, said that the existing law was sufficient to deal with the problem. Ruling out the opposition’s demand for a POTA-like anti-terror law, Patil said the “draconian law” had given rise to situations that bred terrorists and created problems for the innocent people.
He, however, said the government was open to the idea of having a federal investigating agency to deal with situations like the Hyderabad blasts, but would wait for a consensus on it. “The concept floated for a federal investigating agency should not be brushed aside. Let it be carefully looked into. The Government of India will not do anything in this regard till a consensus is developed,” Mr Patil said.
The Rajya Sabha, too, sent out a message to the government that its current approach will just not do. Ms Sushma Swaraj and Mr Amar Singh said that the spate of attacks show a complete failure of the government. “Ministers make a beeline for on-the-spot visits. They condole deaths and speak about the resilience of the people. And after that it is business as usual,” he said.
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Mr Amar Singh said the National Security Adviser has been claiming that he had information about the attack in Hyderabad. “Is he just a postman? Does his job end with informing state governments about terror activities?” asked Mr Singh.
Unlike past debates on the issue, the discussion in the Lok Sabha saw the ruling side refraining from the calls for sympathy and understanding of the root causes of terrorism. It may be recalled that this used to be favourite theme of the speeches of the home minister and his colleagues.
The debate also saw the two sides attempting score points at each other. If the Opposition attacked the government for its failure to come to grips with the terrorists lurking on out doorsteps, the ruling side retaliated by saying that the NDA government did not have a good track record. The “you are soft on terror” charge from the Opposition was countered with “I have never done what some of them did — escorting terrorists in a special aircraft” riposte.
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