BackGovt reverses stand, says no new anti-terror law
Govt reverses stand, says no new anti-terror law
PremiumU-turn: Information and broadcasting minister P.R. Dasmunsi. Subhendu Ghosh / HT
New Delhi: Two days after a state-appointed panel recommended an overreaching anti-terror law, the Union government has ruled out such legislation.
Information and broadcasting Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said “No, no, no" on Thursday when asked about a new law to fight terrorists, adding that existing laws were adequate enough.
Asked whether any move to replace home minister Shivraj Patil was discussed during Wednesday’s cabinet meeting on internal security, Dasmunsi said “nothing of the sort" had happened.
At the meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the cabinet decided to ask states to boost security at public places, including restaurants, shopping malls and cinema halls.
The home ministry intends to ask state governments to pass regulations that would make it mandatory for commercial establishments to install security gadgets such as surveillance cameras and scanners to help detect attempts by terrorists to launch attacks.
According to home secretary Madhukar Gupta, all such facilities will have to subscribe to a “minimum standard of security." He added that closed-circuit cameras will be installed in 58 markets in the Capital to prevent terror attacks. Gupta declined comment on the progress of investigations into the serial bomb blasts in New Delhi.
He also said a new research and technology centre was being set up under the intelligence bureau that will help it keep pace with the technological advances made in explosives and communications by terror outfits.
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