The Hindu : Terrorism law repeal out of the question, says Naidu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 27, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Terrorism law repeal out of the question, says Naidu

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI April 26 . There is no question of repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act as it has been brought in only after detailed deliberation on the need for an "extraordinary legislation" to combat an "extraordinary situation", the BJP President, M. Venkaiah Naidu, asserted today.

Addressing the media here, Mr. Naidu said the party was clear that the POTA was necessary in the larger security interests of the people as "we have multidimensional forces that are subverting the country". He asked the DMK, the MDMK and the PMK, clamouring for total scrapping of the law, to view the Act in the larger national interest. Those demanding its withdrawal could complain about any misuse of the POTA to the Commission set up to review the legislation. Also, people had courts to get legal remedy.

Admitting that the POTA was wrongly applied in the case of the MDMK general secretary, Vaiko, Mr. Naidu said the Union Government had already filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court. But legislation such as the POTA could not be withdrawn in any one particular State just because there were complaints of misuse.

Repeatedly questioned about the demand from the National Democratic Alliance partners — DMK, PMK and MDMK — for scrapping of the POTA, he said the parties had expressed their different viewpoints, but these were not binding on the NDA Government. On the perception that they would walk out of the NDA, especially after Mr. Vaiko himself had stated that it was a mistake on his part to have voted in favour of the POTA, Mr. Naidu said the issue of some parties leaving NDA was hypothetical. "I don't think anyone is leaving (the alliance). The parties were in the alliance on their own will and not under any compulsion.''

Stands by charge against CPI(M)

On the CPI(M) leader, Somnath Chatterjee, taking exception to his remarks made in Kolkata, on the alleged threat held out by the marxist party to people from other parties who sought to contest panchayat polls in West Bengal, the BJP president said he stood by his statement.

He reiterated that the Centre would not be a ``silent spectator'' if democratic rights of the people were trampled on and the Opposition was suppressed. The CPI(M) had made a ``mockery'' (of democracy) by even preventing Opposition parties from filing nominations. ``Nearly 18,000 people had been elected unopposed, which was unheard of in any democracy,'' he said, the adding CPI(M) had ``scientifically rigged'' the polls.

Asked about the form of Central intervention he was talking about, he said the ``marxists know what we will do.''

To a query whether the BJP's stance that it would not remain a spectator to trampling of democracy held good in Tamil Nadu also, Mr. Naidu said it would apply to every State.

Mr. Naidu said the BJP would press for legislation to control population, whose growth was impairing development and growth in all forms. Awareness campaigns should continue, but the immediate need was a law for providing incentives and disincentives to curb population growth. The party was also in favour of legislation being enacted to prevent conversions countrywide and ``we will impress upon all States to enact such a law''.

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