Madhya Pradesh assembly passes strong anti-terror law

BHOPAL - The Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly Thursday passed a stringent anti-terror law, despite strong resistance from the opposition Congress, the state government saying that it was the need of the hour and not targeted against any community.

While 61 members voted in favour of the bill, 26 voted against the Madhya Pradesh Terrorist and Disruptive Activities and Control of Organised Crimes Bill 2010, which has the provision of death penalty.

“The law akin to the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999, (MACOCA), was the need of the hour - specially when terrorist activities have been unearthed in the state,” Home Minister Uma Shankar Gupta said. “It was not against minorities as charged by the opposition”.

“The law would go a long way in tackling terror activities and heinous crimes,” Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.

The deputy leader of the Congress Legislature Party, Choudhary Rakesh Singh Chaturvedi objected to it, saying that it was a central subject while the party’s Govind Singh said that the bill was “anti-people” and “anti-minority”.

After the bill was passed, the opposition tore copies of the law while the treasury benches shouted “Bharat Mata ki Jai”.

This is the second time that attempts have been made to get such a law enacted. Earlier, in 2007 also the draft of the act was sent to the central government but it was returned.