Lok Sabha approves anti-terror bill

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill 2019 by voice vote after a walkout by the Congress and Trinamul Congress, even as home minister Amit Shah batted for strict laws to weed out terrorists as “engaging in with talks them is not an option”.

Replying to the debate on the bill, Mr Shah defended amendments to the anti-terror law, saying they are was essential to keep law enforcement agencies a step ahead of terrorists.

As per the legislation, the Central government may designate an organisation as a terrorist organisation if it commits, participates in, prepares for, promotes, or is otherwise involved in terrorism.

The bill additionally empowers the government to designate individuals as terrorists on the same grounds. This provision, the home minister said, is important to wipe out terror from the country.

The home minister allayed the concern of the Opposition that anti-terror laws would not be misused and used only to root out terror.

Hitting out at the Congress for opposing the amendments, he said if the UPA was correct in amending anti-terror laws during its tenure, then so was the NDA.

Mr Shah said, in the name of ideology, some people promote ‘urban Maoism’ and the government has no sympathy 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.

During a division of votes, demanded by AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, as many as 287 MPs supported the bill and only eight representatives opposed it.