Lok Sabha passes Unlawful Activities Prevention Amendment Bill

Batting for the bill in Lok Sabha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that “there is a need for a provision to declare an individual as a terrorist”.

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The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act Bill, which enable the designation of a person, suspected of having terror links, as “terrorist”. The bill was passed after uproar from members of opposition parties, who claimed that the provision could be misused by authorities.

Batting for the bill on the floor of the House, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that “there is a need for a provision to declare an individual as a terrorist”. “The United Nations has a procedure for it, US has it, Pakistan has it, China has it, Israel has it, European Union has it, everyone has done it,” said the Home Minister.

Targeting the Congress in the course of his speech, the Home Minister added, “When you question us, you don't see who brought the law and amendments, who made it stringent. It was brought when you were in power, what you did then was right and what I'm doing now is also right.”

Opposing his remark, members of the Congress party staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha. They demanded that the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act Bill should be sent to a Standing Committee.

According to news agency ANI, the opposition has decided to demand that Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act Bill, and other key bills like RTI amendment and triple talaq, when in Rajya Sabha, should be sent to the Joint Select Committee.

Opposing the bill in the House, All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi blamed the Congress party for the bill. He said, “I blame Congress party for this. They're the main culprits for bringing this law.”

Accusing the Congress of votebank politics, Owaisi further said, “When they're in power they're bigger than BJP, when they lose power they become big brother of Muslims.”