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NIA(Amendment) Bill 2019 and UAPA Amendment Bill 2019
Why in news
- The Union government introduced the National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2019, in the Lok Sabha amid protests by the Opposition.
More in news
- Govts Opinion
- Minister of State for Home while introducing the Bill, asked why India could not designate terrorists as such if the UN could do so with people like Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed. A provision was needed to designate “individual terrorist” in law.
- He reiterated Govts stand of zero tolerance towards terrorism.
- Why the Opposition against NIA
- About NIA - NIA was set up in 2009 in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks. The Bill seeks to strengthen the agency by giving it powers to investigate terror attacks targeting Indians and Indian interests abroad.
- Courts are already clogged with huge backlogs and now the government was adding more cases through the amendment to the NIA Act.
- The amendment is a piecemeal legislation that did not insulate the NIA from political interference.
- The government while widening the powers of investigating agencies, should also put in place a simultaneous mechanism to ensure that the powers were not misused.
UAPA Bill
- Amendment Bill has been hastily brought without pre-legislative consultation and there are several provisions to go after individuals.
- The Govt in the name of tackling terror cannot do away with individuals fundamental rights.
- The House should not be kept in the dark on the difficulties being faced by the agency.
Source
The Hindu