States agree to new anti-terrorism law

States agree to new anti-terrorism law
AJAY SURI

NEW DELHI, JUNE 29: For the Union Home Ministry, it was a day of mixed blessings. While its attempts to persuade the states to support the new anti-terrorism law in the making apparently met with resounding success, same was not the case about the suggestion for a federal enforcement agency.

The Centre's proposal on Federal agency was opposed by a number of states, mainly the Opposition-ruled states including West Bengal, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, at a day-long brainstorming session that the top officials of the Union Home Ministry (including the two ministers of state) held with the chief secretaries, home secretaries and director generals of police (DGPs) of various states.

Chief secretary of Karnataka B K Bhattacharya insisted that "the Centre should not do anything to interfere with the states" jurisdiction in matters of law and order. "It should not delink the states' constitutional position in the matter of law enforcement and police administration," he said.

The reluctance shown by a number of states in letting New Delhi set up a federal enforcement agency - many felt it would cut into their turf - has understandably made North Block jittery. But a number of senior officials The Indian Express spoke were confident that the differences between the states and the Centre can be sorted out. "By the time the PM discusses the matter with the chief ministers, we are sure the differences would be ironed out," they said. The CMs will meet Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on August 5.

On the issue of enacting a new anti-terrorism law, North Block has reasons to be happy. Union Home Secretary Kamal Pandey disclosed that all the states favoured the legislations and would be sending their detailed comments by the month-end.

Earlier in the day, while inaugurating the meeting, Union Home Minister L K Advani created a flutter by claiming that certain "anti-India" forces could be behind the recent attacks on Christians. The Home Minister, Kamal Pandey reasoned, said "there could be" anti-India forces involved in the incidents.

"In any case," Pandey said, "the Home Minister has asked the states to pursue these cases vigorously and bring the guilty to book... After all, it's a state subject."

On the question of revamping the police force, a number of states have promised to come out with an action plan and this issue too would be discussed at length during the August 5 meeting, Pandey said.

On the flip side, the Government's much-touted scheme of issuing multi-purpose identity card to all Indian citizens seems to have run into rough weather. Not many states in today's meet were appreciative of the idea, a fact Pandey was candid enough to admit.

Also discussed in the meeting were "major concerns" of internal security such as terrorism supported and promoted from across the border, militants' subversive activities, violence by Left-wing extremist groups, communal and ethnic tensions and large-scale operations of the underworld in some states.

Another important matter on which the participants deliberated at length was amendments to Foreign Currency Regulation Act (FCRA), mainly to ensure that the funds were not diverted to anti-national purposes. In the proposed amendments, greater responsibility is thrust upon district collectors for proper implementation of the Act in their respective areas.