<p>The Lok Sabha on Wednesday cleared a bill to designate an individual as a terrorist and vest more powers with the National Investigation Agency (NIA), even as Opposition parties led by the Congress staged a walkout in protest ahead of its passage.</p>.<p>Responding to the members’ concerns during a debate on the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2019, Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah assured the Lok Sabha that its provisions won’t not be misused.</p>.<p>“The law will be used only to root out terrorism. It should not be misused. We will never misuse it,” he said.</p>.<p>The bill, which will now be taken to the Rajya Sabha for its nod, was passed by the Lok Sabha with a total of 287 votes in its favour. Just eight members, who did not join the Opposition walkout, voted against its passage.</p>.<p>Before the walkout, the Congress demanded that the bill be sent to either a parliamentary standing committee or a joint select committee for “thorough scrutiny”, pointing out that the implementation of the proposed amendments to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, will have “far-reaching consequences”.</p>.<p>“We will then support it, but you are bulldozing (the Opposition) and getting the bills passed. We walk out,” Congress’ Leader in the House Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.</p>.<p>The bill, which seeks to enable the Union government to designate an individual as a terrorist, also provides for vesting powers with the NIA to attach the property of a person declared as a terrorist without requiring any clearance from the police chief of the state concerned.</p>.<p>An inspector-rank NIA officer will have the authority to investigate terror cases as per the provisions of the bill.</p>.<p>“We have always said that we must have the strictest laws to deal with terror. There is a need to designate as terrorists individuals who participate in terror activities, radicalise youth and lure them into such activities, help terrorists and provide funds to terrorists. Such a provision is there in the US, China, Israel, European countries and even in Pakistan,” the home minister said.</p>.<p>Shah lashed out at the Opposition for raising objections to the bill, saying “They spoke as if we have brought a law to harass people.”</p>.<p>He told the members that a person designated as terrorist will have options to file an appeal with the government. “If that doesn’t work, they can approach a committee of retired justice of high courts which will be set up to look into such cases. Besides, a person will always have the option to approach the court,” he said.</p>.<p>In his speech, Shah also lashed out at “urban Maoists”, saying the government has no sympathy for them.</p>
<p>The Lok Sabha on Wednesday cleared a bill to designate an individual as a terrorist and vest more powers with the National Investigation Agency (NIA), even as Opposition parties led by the Congress staged a walkout in protest ahead of its passage.</p>.<p>Responding to the members’ concerns during a debate on the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2019, Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah assured the Lok Sabha that its provisions won’t not be misused.</p>.<p>“The law will be used only to root out terrorism. It should not be misused. We will never misuse it,” he said.</p>.<p>The bill, which will now be taken to the Rajya Sabha for its nod, was passed by the Lok Sabha with a total of 287 votes in its favour. Just eight members, who did not join the Opposition walkout, voted against its passage.</p>.<p>Before the walkout, the Congress demanded that the bill be sent to either a parliamentary standing committee or a joint select committee for “thorough scrutiny”, pointing out that the implementation of the proposed amendments to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, will have “far-reaching consequences”.</p>.<p>“We will then support it, but you are bulldozing (the Opposition) and getting the bills passed. We walk out,” Congress’ Leader in the House Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.</p>.<p>The bill, which seeks to enable the Union government to designate an individual as a terrorist, also provides for vesting powers with the NIA to attach the property of a person declared as a terrorist without requiring any clearance from the police chief of the state concerned.</p>.<p>An inspector-rank NIA officer will have the authority to investigate terror cases as per the provisions of the bill.</p>.<p>“We have always said that we must have the strictest laws to deal with terror. There is a need to designate as terrorists individuals who participate in terror activities, radicalise youth and lure them into such activities, help terrorists and provide funds to terrorists. Such a provision is there in the US, China, Israel, European countries and even in Pakistan,” the home minister said.</p>.<p>Shah lashed out at the Opposition for raising objections to the bill, saying “They spoke as if we have brought a law to harass people.”</p>.<p>He told the members that a person designated as terrorist will have options to file an appeal with the government. “If that doesn’t work, they can approach a committee of retired justice of high courts which will be set up to look into such cases. Besides, a person will always have the option to approach the court,” he said.</p>.<p>In his speech, Shah also lashed out at “urban Maoists”, saying the government has no sympathy for them.</p>