The Hindu : Review panel not meant to dilute POTA, says Swami

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Saturday, Mar 15, 2003

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Review panel not meant to dilute POTA, says Swami

By Shujaat Bukhari

JAMMU MARCH 14. The Union Minister of State for Home, I.D. Swami, said today that setting up of a review committee on POTA would not dilute the effectiveness of law but was aimed at responding to the voices which had been raised over its misuse. However, he said its non-implementation by the Jammu and Kashmir Government would not affect the fight against terrorism.

Inaugurating a two-day seminar on "Global Terrorism", organised by University of Jammu, Mr. Swami clarified that the law needs to be reviewed with regard to certain situations. He, however, asserted, "at no cost can we dilute its effectiveness as that will be weakening the fight against terrorism and proxy war".

But when asked later by journalists about the impact of non-implementation of POTA by the PDP-led coalition in the State, his response was guarded:

"Law and order is State subject and it is the State Government's discretion under the quasi-federal structure of the country whether it would use it or not".Non-use of POTA would not weaken the fight against terrorism.Mr. Swami came down heavily on human rights activists and a section of the media who he said ignored the need for fighting terrorism in which India suffered the worst.

K.P.S. Gill, former Director-General of Police. Punjab, said the world had to realise India's leading role in fighting against terrorism.He had a dig at human rights activists and said "state violence is extremely important in fighting terror'' he said. The Jammu University Vice-Chancellor, Amitabh Mattoo, said that as for as definition of terrorism was concerned there should not be any ambiguity.

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