Date:06/03/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/03/06/stories/2003030604771100.htm

National

Samajwadi MP writes to Sonia on POTA

By Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi March 5. The Samajwadi Party MP, Abu Asim Azmi, today alleged that the Prevention of Terrorist Act was being "grossly misused" by the Mumbai police and demanded that the "draconian law" be scrapped.

Addressing mediapersons here, Mr. Azmi, who is the party's Mumbai unit chief, said he had written to the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, urging her to ensure that "POTA is not imposed at least in the Congress-ruled States".

Mr. Azmi, who is also the working president of the Maharashtra unit of the party, said, "as feared POTA has been mercilessly and undemocratically used against political personalities to protect the interests of the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre and its coalition partners in the States".