‘Provision to designate suspect as a terrorist necessary’: Amit Shah defends anti-terror law

PTI, Jul 24, 2019, 5:54 PM IST

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday defended amendments to an anti-terror law, saying it was essential to keep law enforcement agencies one step ahead of terrorists.

Responding to a debate on a bill that amends the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in Lok Sabha, he also asserted that anti-terror laws would not be misused and it would be used only to root out terrorism. He added that the provision in the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) (Amendment) Bill to designate a person suspected to have terror links as a terrorist is necessary to root out terror.

Criticising the Congress for opposing the amendment, Shah said if the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was correct in amending anti-terror laws in their tenure, then so is the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP.

Shah said that some people, in the name of ideology, promote urban Maoism and the government has no sensitivity towards them. The government fights terrorism and it should not matter which party is in power, he said, referring to amendments made in anti-terror laws by successive governments.