Jaya asks CMs to join anti-POTA repeal chorus

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, a strong votary of POTA, today asked her counterparts in all states to come out against the Centre’s ‘‘unilateral’’ and ‘‘hasty’’ decision to repeal the anti-terrorism law. ‘‘India’s internal security cannot be allowed to fall prey to the politics of opportunism. I have, therefore, urged all chief ministers to take up the issue with the Centre and strongly oppose the repeal of POTA,’’ she said.

Jayalalithaa, whose government has detained over 40 people under POTA, said the repeal of the anti-terrorism law would leave the states ‘‘helpless’’ in dealing with dangerous and explosive situations caused by terrorism. ‘‘As long as law and order is a state subject, the unilateral decision of Government of India to repeal it without consultation with the state governments and without a national debate, has to be opposed by all state governments,’’ she said.

Jayalalithaa said there was ‘‘pointed intelligence available with both Central and state agencies’’ on the continuing extent and range of subversive activities of the terrorist organisations banned under POTA.

The setting up of the Central Review Committee (by the erstwhile NDA government) had ‘‘diluted” the provisions of POTA and amounted to negating the powers of the states. However, the repeal of the law itself would mean the states ‘‘have no special law’’ to effectively tackle terrorist and extremist outfits, she added.