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Vajpayee rejects demand to scrap POTO

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

Prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Tuesday rejected the opposition demand to scrap the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance as consensus eluded the all-party meeting summoned by him to resolve differences on it.

According to Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan, who briefed reporters on the two-hour meet, Vajpayee told the 23 participating parties that apprehensions of misuse of the ordinance was misplaced because unlike in the past, the people were aware about their rights.

Mahajan said the prime minister contended that misuse of POTO was not possible in the present political scenario, and rejected the opposition demand to withdraw the legislation.

"He, however, thanked the participants for their suggestions on the ordinance and said that the government would consider them," Mahajan said.

He quoted Union Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani as telling the meet that POTO had not been brought in a hurry (as alleged by the opposition parties) and that security forces had demanded an anti-terrorism legislation with adequate teeth in it.

Advani also told the participants that the government would actively consider their suggestions on the anti-terrorism ordinance.

The parliamentary affairs minister contended that the participants' viewpoint could be categorised under four groups.

a) Parties, which wanted no laws to fight terrorism with the contention that the existing laws were sufficient to cope with it.

b) Parties, which felt that to fight terrorism, a special law was needed, but had objections to the way POTO was brought forward. Such parties wanted another legislation introduced and passed after due consensus.

c) Parties, which supported it (POTO) straightaway, and

d) Parties, which wanted it passed with amendments.

According to Mahajan, the Congress, represented by party chief Sonia Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh, felt that while it had no objections to the law, it should have been brought with due procedure.

Mahajan said the Congress party felt that POTO should be taken back, and brought with due consensus.

He pointed out that Mulayam Singh Yadav, Samajwadi Party chief and Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (RJD) wanted POTO scrapped with the contention that existing laws were sufficient to tackle terrorism.

The left parties said that POTO was flawed, he pointed out, adding that while 14 participants had supported the ordinance, nine had opposed it.

Significantly, the Telegu Desam Party, according to the parliamentary affairs minister, wanted amendments in POTO like those pertaining to the press.

It (TDP) also wanted the ordinance to be applicable for three years, he added.

Mahajan said Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar gave seven or eight suggestions saying his party was ready to support it with some amendments.

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