Rajya Sabha passes Unlawful Activities Prevention Amendment Bill, 147 MPs vote in favour

The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Bill 2019. The bill seeks to amend the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, making special provisions to deal with terrorist activities, as well as individuals and groups that foster or support terrorism. The bill has been criticised by the Opposition for provisions empowering the government to declare individuals as terrorists and seize their property while investigation is on.

The UAPA bill reflects the resolve of the BJP government to crack down on terrorism in the country and comes in the wake of increased crackdowns by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against various terrorist organizations. The proposed amendments to the existing Act redefine “who may commit terrorism", establishing that under the bill, the Centre may designate an organization a terrorist organization if it commits or participates in acts of terrorism, prepares for terrorism, promotes terrorism, or is otherwise involved in terrorism.

READ: UAPA Bill | Amit Shah To Congress Over Designating Terrorists: 'Individuals Perpetrate Terror, Why Not Name Them?'

Speaking in the Upper House answering the objection placed by the Opposition to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill tabled by the Centre, the Home Minister countered each and every argument by the Opposition. He listed the exact number of the cases in which NIA has given punishment. he said that it is more than the rate of any country. On the argument that why should an individual be named in case of terrorism, in a direct response to P Chidambaram, he said

"This (UAPA) Act is to fight terror and has no other purpose.Why are we scared of naming terrorists? It is important to identify terrorists and not just organisations. Organistaion is made up of people. One organistaion is banned then he forms by other organistaion. Acts of terror are done by individual not organistaion."

READ: UAPA bill: P Chidambaram opposes amendments citing individual liberty, says 'Gautam Navlekha isn't Hafiz Saeed'