Approval of GUJCOC will be against UPA`s policy

Approval of GUJCOC will be against UPA`s policy

Ahmedabad, Sept 10: The Union Home Ministry, in an affidavit filed in Gujarat High Court on GUJCOC, on Wednesday said that recommending the passage of the legislation would be against the policy of the Central government which has repealed POTA. The court had asked the Union Home Ministry to give its reply on a petition of an NGO, Justice on Trial regarding the delay in the clearance of GUJCOC (Gujarat Control of Organised Crime) Bill which has been passed by state legislative Assembly. The affidavit submitted in the court said that the executive at the national level cannot recommend the passage of the Bill by the state legislature if a law of the same nature has been repealed by the union legislature. The affidavit also said that it has been concluded during the detailed examination that it would not be in consonance with the policy of the Central Government which led to repeal of POTA, to recommend the passage of any such legislation, which contains similar provisions. The affidavit further said the proposal of the state government has been submitted for consideration of the Cabinet and it is expected that the decision on it will be taken in near future. Chief Justice K S Radhakrishnan and Justice M S Shah after listening to submission by the lawyer of Central Government Harin Rawal regarding the affidavit has kept the next hearing of the case after one month. The petition filed by NGO said that GUJCOC Bill, a tougher law against organized crime and terrorism, passed by the state legislative Assembly is pending with the Centre government for clearance. Petition said other states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi have such laws, but the UPA government is not allowing such a law for Gujarat. The petition said that the UPA government is saying that they will not place this law before the President for her assent as it is against their political philosophy. How can a law passed by elected representatives of a state of India be blocked on the basis of political ideology of a party, the petition asked. If such laws are against their political ideology then why they are not taking any steps to revoke the same kind of laws which are existing in other states, the petition said. In the backdrop of the recent terror attack in Ahmedabad it has become necessary that state has such tough law to fight terrorism, it said. Bureau Report Your comment(s) on this article The UPA government will not permit GUJCOC because the Muslims want to protect Jehadis in the cause of Islam. - K.Venugopal - Mumbai