National

Patil: laws not properly used

New Delhi: The Centre on Saturday blamed the State governments for not making proper use of the available laws to counter terrorism and suggested a federal agency to look into matters having international ramifications.

“If some are raising this issue, I would like to ask whether these laws are being used. Are the provisions of POTA which have been put into the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act being used? Why are they not being used?” Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said.

Asked why the Centre was averse to ratifying the anti-terror laws passed by some State governments, Mr. Patil said, “... I am saying use existing laws.”

“... If the offence is committed by a person living in a State, there is no difficulty in proceeding against him. But there is a group of persons living in different States and they are intending to perpetrate an offence, State machinery will not be helpful.”

The country needed machinery which had access to more States. “Today we have come to the conclusion that it is not only an inter-State matter, but it is becoming an international matter. There are ramifications going outside boundaries of the country and State government and police do not have that kind of capacity,” he said.

“If you have a federal investigating agency in such matters, it would be helpful and then if you have an agency which can prevent these things that agency will be able to better prevent it.”

Asked whether Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence was responsible for the attacks, Mr. Patil said, “I am not giving a clean chit to anyone. Nor am I complaining against anyone.”

“I am allowing the State government of Gujarat to investigate the matter properly and bring these facts to our notice.” — PTI

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