Home Minister P Chidambaram [Images] has written a letter to all the chief ministers dispelling their misgivings on the National Investigating Agency and two other Bills passed by Parliament in December, stressing that the laws will help fight terrorism effectively. The letter fulfills the promise he gave to them at a conference held in Delhi [Images] on January 6 to discuss the problem of terrorism that he would revert back to them on the issues they raised during the day-long interaction.
The non-Congress chief ministers had protested at the government rushing the NIA Bill through Parliament without consulting the state governments whose powers are sought to be usurped. They had also expressed misgivings that the Centre may not keep in loop the states while deciding the cases to be probed by NIA.
In the letter sent out on January 13, Chidambaram has explained the scope, extent and application of the three Bills unanimously passed by Parliament -- NIA Bill, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill and CrPC Amendment Bill.
He hoped that after going through full details of the Bills, the chief ministers would be satisfied that the provisions were necessary and have been made in the interest of fighting terrorism and other unlawful activities.
Chidambaram also offered to answer and clarify any further questions or doubts that the chief ministers may have. If becomes necessary to make any changes in these laws, Chidambaram wrote: "We could always revisit the provisions and introduce changes in the next session of Parliament."