Govt says NIA bill in national interest, Cong calls it attempt to turn India into 'police state'

New Delhi: The government asserted on Monday that a bill to broaden the NIA’s investigating powers is part of its policy of zero-tolerance against terrorism and is in the national interest, as Lok Sabha took up a discussion on the proposed legislation.

While Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy sought the support of all parties for the passage of the National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2019, Manish Tewari of the Congress accused the government of trying to turn India into a “police state”.

“We want to fight terrorism with zero tolerance and have brought this bill in the national interest. I pray to all of you for its passage,” he said.

The NIA was set up in 2009 in the wake of the Mumbai terror attack which had claimed 166 lives Tewari opposed the bill, saying probe agencies are misused for “political vendetta” and “inspired media leaks” from them have turned the maxim of “innocent until proven guilty” on its head.

He also claimed that the constitutional validity of the NIA Act, which led to the investigation agency’s formation, is still not settled as pleas challenging its validity are pending in different courts.

Earlier, several opposition members, including N K Premachandran and Saugata Roy, questioned the government’s decision to push for a discussion amid the ongoing budget- related debates but Speaker Om Birla ruled that a debate can start.

Reddy said the NIA has been doing a good work and secured conviction in over 90 per cent of cases. It has so far registered 272 cases out of which judgement has been delivered in 52, he added.

Appropriate punishment to the accused at times is not meted out to criminals involved in human trafficking, he said, pitching for the NIA to probe these cases.

With terrorism having international dimensions, he said it is imperative that the NIA is empowered to probe incidents of terrorism targeting Indians, the Indian embassy and other assets abroad.

Tewari said India’s founding fathers have given primacy to civil liberties as they had seen that many criminal laws were brought in by the British to keep Indians suppressed.

When investigation agencies are seen as being misused for political vendetta, then there is a fundamental problem with a bill that seeks to empower a probe body, he said. Tewari though added that his allegation is not aimed at any particular government and is generic.

He also demanded a separation between investigation and prosecution wings for a fair probe. He accused the government of seeking to turn the country into a police state, and said its ramifications will last beyond its tenure.