By RINA,
New Delhi: December 25: (RINA National Service): Hastily passed controversial law on terrorism, ‘Unlawful Activities Prevention Act’ (UAPA) is gradually becoming debated among Muslims with their members of parliament divided in two on the issue, members supporting the government calling it a ‘positive’ step for the security and defence of the country and others taking it as harsher than earlier POTA and TADA.
Talking with newsmen, the general secretary of Bahujan Samaj Party and Member of Parliament Shahid Siddiqui said, “UAPA is rebirth of POTA. There is no difference between the two laws.” Worst examples of the misuse of POTA can be traced in Gujarat cases and this is the reason that most of Muslim organizations and Members of Parliament deem it as an ‘anti-Muslim’ law.
Stressing that all secular persons of the country and all minorities should strong oppose UAPA, Mr. Shahid Siddiqui said, “Besides being erroneous on the basis of the Constitution, and the demands of justice and human rights, it is doubly wrong for Muslims. The government categorically emphasized that there is no need for any fresh enactment but they passed the law under BJP pressure. Either the government was wrong earlier or now it is.”
Disagreeing with the new enactment, the Member of Parliament and the president of All India United Muslim Morcha Dr. Ejaz Ali said, “Such laws have always been used against Muslims. POTA and TADA were dispensed with only when this limit was transcended and the law was used against politicians.”
Dr. Ejaz Ali forcefully pleaded, “Firstly, attention should be paid to reasons and motivations of terrorism and we succeed in controlling its resources, we would not need any law of this sort. In any case, if such law becomes inevitable, then, there must some safeguards in it that would deter police and other agencies to misuse it against Muslims.”
Shedding light on certain provisions of UAPA, Dr. Ejaz said, “According to this law, every person possessing unlicensed weapons or providing funds to terrorists will be called a terrorist. Is it difficult for the police to create such conditions?” Another major flaw seen in the law is that it prohibits bail before 180 days of detention, a long period that is sure to disable any accused to prove that he is non-guilty.
Supporting UAPA, the NCP member and a senior political leader Tariq Anwar repeated traditional excuses, “Leaders from all parties nodded to it…peoples framing this law are no fools…opposition has become a habit…” However, Muslim organizations, especially All India Muslim Personal Law Board, All India Milli Council, Jama’at-e-Islami and Muslim Political Council of India are now vocal against the law.