Mayawati passes POTA-like law, SP cries foul

TOUGH ON CRIME: From rigourous imprisonment to life and death sentences are the hallmarks of this law.

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Lucknow: In the battlefield of Uttar Pradesh guns and goons are common scenes and especially hold their sway during elections.

Now, Chief Minister Mayawati, heading a full majority government, wants to change this soiled image of the state.

She has implemented a new law to curb crime called the Uttar Pradesh Control of Crime Act (UPCOCA).

The provisions of the law are the same as the dreaded POTA or the Maharashtra Crime Control Act, both widely misused and finally disbanded.

Tough punishment ranging from rigourous imprisonment to life sentences to even death sentence are the hallmarks of this law.

It's widely believed that Mayawati might use this Bill to nail down her political rivals, mainly those in the Samajwadi Party. But it would be interesting to see if she uses this act against her own MLAs and and ministers, many of whom have a criminal past.

The concern stems from the number of tainted MLAs the two leading parties are packed with.

• BSP — 70 MLAs charged with varying criminal acts
• SP — 49 MLAs facing range of charges
• BJP — 19 MLAs with criminal backgrounds

Says Samajwadi Party General Secretary, Amar Singh, "It's a Bill which is meant to target the Samajwadi Party. We are also ready to go to jail."

However, Principal Secretary Home, JN Chamber has some words of comfort. He says that there is no question of raking up old cases. Hopefully, it won't turn out to be a hollow assurance.