UP’s novel way to tackle ISI

LUCKNOW, JANUARY 5: Claiming that it was doing so to check the activities of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) along the Nepal ...

LUCKNOW, JANUARY 5: Claiming that it was doing so to check the activities of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) along the Nepal border, the Uttar Pradesh Government on Tuesday introduced a Bill to prohibit the construction of places of worship — temples, mosques and churches — without the prior permission of the District Magistrates. The Bill was later passed by the Vidhan Sabha.

Opposition parties have severely criticised the Bill saying it is targeted at the minority community and an attempt to introduce the agenda of the Sangh Parivar.

Once the Bill becomes law, District Magistrates will have the power to demolish old buildings turned into temples, mosques or churches. The District Magistrates will also have the power to investigate any application for construction or proposal to build religious places.

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Parliamentary Affairs Minister Hukam Singh claimed the Bill had been introduced to “check ISI activities” and also to check the encroachment of government land for the construction ofplaces of worship.

Madrasas along the Nepal border have become sanctuaries for ISI agents and smugglers, he alleged. Hukam Singh added that besides ISI activity, there have been “demographic changes” along the border.

The Opposition parties have dubbed the move as a “violation” of the right to religion as guaranteed by Article 25 of the Constitution. Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Pramod Tiwari said that by resisting the construction of religious places, the BJP-led government wanted to make the minority community “second-class” citizens. The BJP wants only to politicise religious places, he added.

Tiwari said that there were laws to tackle ISI activity and using a Bill to check the growth of religious places was specifically targeted towards the minorities: “What are the checks and balances? On what grounds can the District Magistrate reject an application?”

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He said that the government should have consulted the Opposition parties before introducing such a sensitive Bill. “Such Billsshould not be introduced without consensus,” he said.

Leader of the Opposition Dhani Ram Verma of the Samajwadi Party said the Bill was a conspiracy by the Ram Prakash Gupta government to impose the Sangh Parivar agenda.