Congress on Thursday assailed the government for bringing through backdoor the ordinance to combat terrorism in place of the scrapped TADA, but ducked questions whether it would support or oppose a legislation in this regard in the Parliament. “We have our strong reservations over the manner in which the government is addressing serious issues by bringing through backdoor in the form of ordinances laws that have far reaching bearing on the people”, party spokesman Anand Sharma said when asked to comment on the issue. He, however, prefaced his remark by stating that, “The party recognised that there might be need for certain legislation and laws to meet extra-ordinary situation or activities which were not covered by the available criminal laws in the country. Any law which concerns liberty, human rights and fundamental rights should be brought through a national and parliamentary consensus. We fail to understand the timing of the ordinance as the Criminal Law Amendment Bill is pending before Upper house,” he said. Asked whether the party would oppose or support in parliament the legislation to replace the ordinance, he said, “The party would take a decision in this regard after the draft formulation and its clauses were known”. Bureau Report