IB chief’s remark adds spunk to BJP campaign

NEW DELHI: With the Union home minister Shivraj Patil conceding that India’s nuclear and other vital installations are facing serious threat from jehadis and the Intelligence Bureau chief saying that there is need for a tough law to deal with the extraordinary situation, efforts have started to push the government into a corner over its handling of internal security. The Opposition NDA on Friday said it would move an adjournment motion over internal security in Parliament on Monday.

“The head of IB has knocked the government on its head. The security agencies want to fight terror. But the government wants to go slow on fighting terror since its commitment is not security but votebank politics,” BJP leader Arun Jaitley said setting the tone for Monday’s debate in Parliament. “We need a more robust legal framework to deal with these new threats, which were not envisioned when much of our legal architecture was framed..

.The modern environment with all its technological excellence including ease of travel and free information flows offers a vast array of targets to terrorists who need not be based here,” the IB chief had said on Thursday at a function attended by the prime minister and the home minister.

The Opposition’s chief complaint is that the government indulges in a “politically correct sanitisation” of laws under pressure from its allies. This, they said, saw the government scrapping anti-terror law Pota at a time when governments world over were framing tough and dedicated anti-terror legislation.

The BJP said the IB chief’s assertions have to be seriously considered as he is working with an agency that’s grappling with the prospect of terrorists attacking citizens and installations. “The DIB has chosen a public platform to air his views. If the UPA doesn’t accept it, then it is clear that India is not safe in UPA’s hands,” said Mr Jaitley.

Those who subscribe to the “existing laws are enough” line chose not to respond to the calls made by the IB chief. They said it was for the government to assess the need for a new law. At the same time, they said the situation did not warrant the framing of a new law. Interestingly, the prime minister who was present when the IB chief made the observation did not respond to the demand of the intelligence agency.