New Delhi: Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday appealed to all Lok Sabha members to pass the National Investigation Agency (NIA) bill and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), introduced by the government in the wake of the Mumbai terror attack.
“I appeal to all the members of the house with folded hands to pass the National Investigation Agency bill,” he said a day after both the bills were introduced in the House.
Chidambaram said the Government has sought to make a "fair balance" of respect for fundamental rights and the demand of the people for tough provisions while bringing forward two legislations to fight terror effectively.
"We will do our best to satisfy your aspirations. Let us pass these two bills," he said in a brief speech commending for consideration the two bills, which were introduced in the House on Tuesday.
"We have struck a balance between right of the Central government and the state governments to decide on investigation," the minister said.
The Home Minister said opinions of different political parties as well as lawyers and jurists had been taken while presenting the bill.
“We have tried to accommodate the opinions and suggestions of different political parties and sections such as lawyers and jurists to draft the bills,” he said.
The NIA Bill provides for the setting up of special courts for speedy trial of terror-related offences, with hearings to be held on a daily basis.
“The nation is watching us to respond top the terror attacks and to create an investigating agency to counter such attacks,” he added.
He said there were enough safeguards in the amendments that the government sought to bring in the bills.
Next page: Bangladesh must check terror: Chidambaram
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Chidambaram also urged Bangladesh to honour its commitment to act against terror groups operating from its soil and said work on fencing the border between the two countries would be hastened.
"Bangladesh has its responsibilities. We expect Bangladesh to honour its commitments and assurances (on preventing the activities of terror groups from its territory)," Home Minister P. Chidambaram said during question hour in the Rajya Sabha.
"We will use every instrument in our possession, including diplomacy (to ensure Bangladesh keeps its word)," the minister added.
"We have an ongoing dialogue but we are not happy with the situation. We are convinced that Indian terror groups find safe haven across the border. We have prevailed on Bangladesh to work with us in stamping out terrorism," Chidambaram maintained.
In this context, he noted that a civilian government was expected to be in place in Dhaka by the end of the month and hoped that it would take up the issue "seriously".
Raising the issue, Birendra Kumar Baishya of the Asom Gana Parishad urged "extreme action" for permitting terror groups from India, as also the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) of Bangladesh that has been blamed for a string of blasts in different Indian cities.
"One should be very moderate and careful in the use of language when we talk about another country," Chidambaram immediately retorted.
Turning to the fencing of the India-Bangladesh border, the minister said he was "not satisfied" with the progress and wanted the work speeded up.
"Only yesterday, the prime minister said the work must be taken up urgently and completed quickly," Chidambaram said.
Even so, he was "not in a position to give a timeline" but said "we will take every step to quicken the process".
(Inpust from PTI, IANS)
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