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With opposition parties criticising the Maharashtra government's proposed internal security act as "draconian", a senior official today sought to disassociate Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis from it, saying the draft of the suggested law is yet to be reach him.
The draft for 'Maharashtra Protection of Internal Security Act, 2016,' was prepared by officials and the chief minister, who holds the Home portfolio, was not privy to it (before it was uploaded for comments), Additional Chief Secretary (Home) K P Bakshi said here.
The proposed act, meant to address challenges posed by terrorism and communal and caste violence, has some stringent provisions such as the need to take police permission for any gathering where more than 100 people are expected.
"For the last many years the Home Department is of the view that police should be given more powers. We have a 720-km long porous coastline, we have the problem of Naxalism, all of which needs to be tackled," Bakshi told reporters.
"Mumbai is one of the most important cities and has head offices of many important institutions. There is also a large tourist footfall in the city which makes it difficult for the police to handle emergencies," he said, adding that there are only 120 police personnel for every one lakh people in the state.
Considering all this, senior officers from the police, intelligence and other departments submitted the first draft in October 2015 which was further compressed and vetted to make the current draft, he said.
"There have been no discussions, no presentations on the draft at the political, ministerial level. It has all been done at the bureaucratic level. Once we receive objections and suggestions from people, we will submit the draft to the CM who will then place it before the cabinet," Bakshi said.
For any peaceful democratic agitations it will be required to take police permission as per the current laws, and no special permissions will be required, he said.
"The government will not interfere in any religious, family procession even if the number of people crosses 100," Bakshi said.
The Opposition, however, did not buy Bakshi's contention,
and claimed that Fadnavis had in the past tried to push a directive whereby any person speaking against the government would have been tried for sedition.
"Is the CM acknowledging that there is a complete breakdown of law and order which necessitates such a draconian act?" Congress MLC Sanjay Dutt said.
Fadnavis should explain the need for every clause of the draft act to the people, he said.
NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said if such an act was implemented, it would create mini-Emergency like situation.
"This is a mini-Emergency act intending to cripple any voice of dissent by the opposition... The CM intends to bring dictatorship and is treading on the path of Hitler," he said.
"First Fadnavis issued a circular (asking police to) register sedition case against those who speak against the government. He had to take it back stating that it was issued by mistake when he faced a backlash," Malik added.
