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India debates POTA, nations move on to tough laws
Published on Fri, May 16, 2008 at 00:54, Updated at Fri, May 16, 2008 in Nation section
Tags: Jaipur Blasts, Walled City , New Delhi
LAWS ON TERROR: UPA has to balance criticism against such laws with the need to send a strong message to terrorists.
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New Delhi: BJP activists are protesting against the UPA Government's ineffectiveness in preventing terror strikes. Their demand — bring back POTA.
Throughout the country, states have devised specific laws to deal with terrorism and high profile crime.
Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh all have some variant of POTA, a law repealed in October 2004 since it was allegedly becoming a tool of human rights abuses.
Ironically, BJP-ruled states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are all ready with similar laws, though none of them have clearance from the Central Government.
Rajasthan Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje had earlier demanded POTA saying: "Today's terrorism system is very sophisticated. It works on Information Technology. Unless we have an act whereby we can strengthen our police it is important that we share our information with each other."
Congress Spokesperson, Veerapa Moily — ironically — said, " I agree. Laws must be tougher."
With 2,300 lives lost in 2007 because of terrorism, many are now asking India to look westwards and borrow from their version of war on terror.
In the UK, the Terrorism Act 2006, enacted after the July 7 2005 London bombings, allows detention for 28 days of any suspect without any charges.
The US has the Patriot Act, passed a month after the 9/11 bombings. Provisions under the Act range from allowing police to conduct raids on private property without notice, to indefinite detention of non citizens without any charge.
In Australia, the Anti-Terrorism Act 2005 enables the investigating authorities to deny the right for a detainee to question as to why he or she is being detained.
The challenge before the UPA Government now is to balance out the criticism levelled against such laws with the need to send a strong message to terrorists.
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We need much more tougher laws than POTA. Terrorism is a special situation and needs to be handled accordingly. No
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