Human Rights organisation demands withdrawal of UAPA

Criticising the Central government for framing the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a human rights organisation today demanded immediate withdrawal of the law on the ground that it violated basic human rights.
"We want immediate withdrawal of the UAPA. This is much more dangerous than POTA, TADA or the Rowlatt Act of the British colonial rule. It denies basic human rights and legal immunity to those who are tried under it," Association for Protection of Human Rights president Sujato Bhadra said.
Bhadra said it was regrettable that the Congress, which claimed to be a believer in the ideals of Mahatama Gandhi who had once denounced the Rowlatt Act, should pass such a law which is much more draconian and anti-human.

Bhadra also took a swipe at the ruling Trinamool Congress and the previous Left regime for agreeing to put the law into effect.
"While the Left Front government made UAPA effective without issuing any notification, which is against the rule, the Trinamool Congress is lethargic in dealing with cases of those charged under UAPA in the state," he said.
Bhadra revealed that about 80 persons had been convicted in the Left Front rule under UAPA.
Bhadra also took exception to the way the TMC regime filed a chargesheet against a woman activist who had given a deputation to the chief minister regarding last year's Kamduni gangrape and murder of a college girl.