Govt says NIA bill in national interest, Cong calls it attempt

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 national interest, as Lok Sabha took up a discussion on the proposed legislation.

While Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy sought 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".

Reddy told the House that the new law will allow the NIA to probe cases of terrorism targeting Indians and Indian assets abroad, and also empower the agency to investigate cases of arms and human trafficking besides those linked to cyber terrorism.

"We want to fight terrorism with zero tolerance and have brought this bill in 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