Federalism hit: Modi leads BJP charge

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday led the BJP charge at the Chief Ministers conclave,saying the setting up of the National Investigation Agency NIA was contrary to our federal spirit and an attempt at sidetracking the states in the fight against terror,a demand endorsed by many non-BJP parties,including the JD U.

By setting up the National Investigation Agency,the Central government now obviously wants to take upon itself the responsibility of fighting terror by sidetracking the states, Modi said. Even though this arrangement is contrary to our federal spirit,I wish the Central Government all success in its new role, he added. The BJP leader expressed satisfaction that a chief ministers meet had finally been convened now when he made such a demand way back in 2005. Saying that the UPA Government lacked the resolve to fight terror,Modi reiterated some of the key objections of the BJP to the new laws on terror,saying that bail provisions in the new Unlawful Activities Prevention Act,1967,had weakened the Act. The admissibility of confessions before police officers of certain ranks as provided in POTA and as proposed in GUJCOC has been ignored. Provisions relating to grant of bail have been diluted even in the amended UAPA as compared to POTA. This will facilitate terrorists in getting bail, the Gujarat CM said.

How will Pakistan accept our testimony when our own law does not accept Mumbai blasts accused Kasabs confession as evidence, he asked. Had Kasab been caught in Gujarat,law of the land could hardly deal with him strongly because of non-existence of a stringent Act,he said,reminding the Centre that the GUJCOC had not been given their stamp of approval yet.

The CM suggested that the Centre develop one of the small states as a model to fight terrorism. This model should cover all activities connected with terror including hawala transactions,fake currency,drug trafficking and misuse of communication equipment, he said,adding that it could be replicated at a national level later.

He also stressed the need to equip the Indian Navy,Coast Guard and Marine Police with more boats and manpower. He asked the Centre to consider the setting up of a National Marine Security Authority. He also listed the measures taken by his government to fight terror including plans to set up a Police University Raksha Shakti University. The Gujarat CM asked the Centre to sanction the scheme of coastal security recently submitted by his government,in view of the 1600-km coastline. He also demanded 30 high-speed boats sanctioned under the Coastal Security Scheme.