No misuse of UPCOCA, assures Yogi Adityanath

Lucknow: UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, on Thursday, assured the Opposition that the proposed UP Control of Organised Crime Act (UPCOCA) has stated that there would not be a misuse of the provisions of the bill and neither would it be used to target political rivals.

The Opposition continued to oppose the bill and later staged a walk-out after which the bill was passed by a voice vote.

Initiating the debate on the bill in the state assembly on Thursday, the chief minister said that the new legislation aimed at instilling a sense of security in the people and creating an atmosphere that was free form fear.

He said that the poor law and order situation had prevented investors from coming to UP and this retarded development to a large extent.

He said that the deteriorating law and order situation in the state had been a cause for concern and UPCOCA would play a key role in checking organized crime that also fuelled corruption.

The CM cited the steps taken to improve the law and order situation and said that agencies like ATS, STF, SIT and Women Powerline had been energized to show a better performance.

The leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary, however, termed the proposed UPCOCA as a ‘black law and an undeclared emergency and said that its provision would be invoked against journalists too.