Polls may teach hard lessons to ‘soft on terror’ Congress
The ruling Congress’ difficulties with a political response to the BJP’s renewed “soft on terror” charge are set to continue into the poll season.
By ET Bureau |
The ruling Congress��� difficulties with a political response to the BJP���s renewed ���soft on terror��� charge are set to continue into the poll season.
The measures announced by the government on Thursday to counter terrorism fell short of the expectation of a tougher anti-terror mechanism hinted at by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday.
It also made the Congress less certain of its call for a ���strong law��� to tackle terrorism with ���enough safeguards to prevent misuse��� .
Speaking at the Governors Conference , the Mr Singh had said the government was ���actively considering legislation to further strengthen the substantive anti-terrorism law in line with the global consensus on the fight against terrorism��� .
His statements there about ���vast gaps in intelligence��� and those on his government having ���no fixed, inflexible or ideological view��� with regards to laws for tackling terrorism seemed to have set the stage for a substantial announcement .
However, Thursday���s announcement showed that government had stuck to mere administrative changes in the intelligence machinery and creation of a wing to analyse the new methods being used by terrorists.
The Congress and its allies, who have been opposing Pota or a Pota-like law for being against minorities, also came out to attack the legislation as ���draconian��� once again.
Heading into a series of state elections followed by Lok Sabha polls, the ruling parties seem to have decided that it would be best to play safe. However, with the BJP set to raise the spectre of terrorism in its election speeches and campaign, the Congress��� response might prove inadequate .
In any case, a number of voices emerging from within the government and the Congress on the issue of terrorism have blunted any purposefulness the government might have shown after the Delhi blasts.
If the Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) headed by Congress leader Veerappa Moily called for a comprehensive law against terrorism, then Union minister Kapil Sibal has said that he strong disagreed with the recommendations of the ARC.
He said he did not agree with commission on confessions to police officers being accepted as evidence and for tougher bail provisions. He said the Indian system lacked an institutional approach to the challenges of terrorism , backing the idea of a federal agency to tackle terrorism.
Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said on Thursday that call of the hour was ���tougher measures��� to tackle terrorism but added that such measures would not be evolved overnight. ���It is a long haul.
The first recommendation of the Administrative Reforms Commission was to build a political consensus (on tackling terrorism),��� he said, referring to the differences of opinion within the UPA on the subject.
Many others in the Congress are clubbing the need for the Centre to adopt an ���aggressive approach��� towards curbing the attacks on minorities in Orissa and Karnataka allegedly by Sangh Parivar outfits with terrorist strikes.
This cacophony is dissipating the force of the Congress��� response to the BJP���s efforts to make terrorism its main plank in the coming elections.
The measures announced by the government on Thursday to counter terrorism fell short of the expectation of a tougher anti-terror mechanism hinted at by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday.
It also made the Congress less certain of its call for a ���strong law��� to tackle terrorism with ���enough safeguards to prevent misuse��� .
Speaking at the Governors Conference , the Mr Singh had said the government was ���actively considering legislation to further strengthen the substantive anti-terrorism law in line with the global consensus on the fight against terrorism��� .
His statements there about ���vast gaps in intelligence��� and those on his government having ���no fixed, inflexible or ideological view��� with regards to laws for tackling terrorism seemed to have set the stage for a substantial announcement .
However, Thursday���s announcement showed that government had stuck to mere administrative changes in the intelligence machinery and creation of a wing to analyse the new methods being used by terrorists.
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The Congress and its allies, who have been opposing Pota or a Pota-like law for being against minorities, also came out to attack the legislation as ���draconian��� once again.
Heading into a series of state elections followed by Lok Sabha polls, the ruling parties seem to have decided that it would be best to play safe. However, with the BJP set to raise the spectre of terrorism in its election speeches and campaign, the Congress��� response might prove inadequate .
In any case, a number of voices emerging from within the government and the Congress on the issue of terrorism have blunted any purposefulness the government might have shown after the Delhi blasts.
If the Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) headed by Congress leader Veerappa Moily called for a comprehensive law against terrorism, then Union minister Kapil Sibal has said that he strong disagreed with the recommendations of the ARC.
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He said he did not agree with commission on confessions to police officers being accepted as evidence and for tougher bail provisions. He said the Indian system lacked an institutional approach to the challenges of terrorism , backing the idea of a federal agency to tackle terrorism.
Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said on Thursday that call of the hour was ���tougher measures��� to tackle terrorism but added that such measures would not be evolved overnight. ���It is a long haul.
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The first recommendation of the Administrative Reforms Commission was to build a political consensus (on tackling terrorism),��� he said, referring to the differences of opinion within the UPA on the subject.
Many others in the Congress are clubbing the need for the Centre to adopt an ���aggressive approach��� towards curbing the attacks on minorities in Orissa and Karnataka allegedly by Sangh Parivar outfits with terrorist strikes.
This cacophony is dissipating the force of the Congress��� response to the BJP���s efforts to make terrorism its main plank in the coming elections.
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