Refuting opposition’s claims of “misuse” of the NIA law, Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday asserted that the Modi government will never abuse it to target anyone but will ensure that terrorism is finished off irrespective of the religion of the accused.
In an intervention during a discussion in Lok Sabha on theNational Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2019, Shah also targeted theCongress-led UPA government for repealing the anti-terror act POTA, saying itwas not done because of its alleged misuse but to “save its votebank”.
He said terror attacks witnessed an upsurge after thePrevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) was repealed resulting in the same UPAgovernment being forced to constitute the NIA after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Shah sought support of all parties for the bill’s passage,saying a division in the House on the issue of strengthening the agency willsend out a wrong message and boost the morale of terrorists.
The Bill allows the National Investigation Agency to investigateterror attacks on Indians and Indian interests abroad.
Parliament should speak in one voice in giving powers to theNIA to send out a message to terrorists and the world, he asserted.
His response came as several opposition leaders criticisedthe bill and accused the government of using investigating agencies for”political vendetta”.
Some MPs said the anti-terror law is misused at times totarget members of a particular community.
“Let me make it clear. The Modi government has no suchintention. Its only goal is to finish off terrorism but we will also not lookat the religion of the accused while taking action,” Shah said.
Further responding to clarifications sought by certainmembers including on alleged backlog of cases, he said that there is only oneNIA designated court in every state.
He said that these courts would only take NIA cases and notothers.
This matter should not be linked to Jammu and Kashmir, hereplied when a member said that the designated court in the state is in Jammuand claimed it creates hassles for people from other parts of the state.
Referring to the 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings case, theminister claimed that the Congress did a U-turn, arrested innocents andreleased those nabbed earlier.
“Terrorism is neither ‘left’ nor ‘right’,” it isterrorism only,” he added.
When clarification was sought on whether Pakistan is coveredunder the proposed law, Shah said although the neighbouring country has not yetsigned an international agreement on terrorism related cases, India has”several means including surgical and air strikes to deal withPakistan”.
“I am sure that Pakistan would also have to sign thatagreement under international pressure,” he said.
Responding to Manish Tewari’s remarks that even the CBI’sconstitutional validity is not settled yet, the Home Minister said that thematter is sub-judice and alleged that it was Congress which has misused theCBI.
On fixing time-frame for investigation and prosecution, hesaid the law takes its own course but still the NIA cases have positive resultsand 90 per cent success rate.
He assured NCPs’s Supriya Sule that though cases related tomurder of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare are not under theNIA, justice would be done.