Uddhav dubs Maha Public Security Bill as BJP Suraksha Act

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday described the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill as 'BJP Suraksha Act', saying the ruling party thinks whoever speaks against it is anti-national. He alleged that the bill has been brought with political intentions, and expressed fear that it will be misused against the opposition as well as common citizens. Talking to reporters on the premises of the Vidhan Bhavan, the state legislature complex in Mumbai, Thackeray said the government got the bill passed with brute majority.

Thackeray said while the government stressed that the bill has been brought to end Naxalism and terrorism, there is no reference of it in the draft. The government should have specifically added words like those "undertaking activities detrimental to the country". Incidentally, Thackeray, who is a member of the state legislative council, was present in the House but did not speak when the bill came for discussion. He said the undivided Shiv Sena and the BJP were dubbed as parties with right-wing ideologies.

"It is a very ambiguous bill. The bill smells of political intentions. We feel there will be political misuse of this new law," he said. The former chief minister said the bill talks about "unlawful activity" which constitutes danger or menace to public order, peace and tranquillity, interference with maintenance of public order, administration of law or its established institutions and personnel. "The dangerous word (in the bill) is illegal activity and it is applicable to everyone, including opposition and common man," Thackeray said. Earlier, there were similar bills like the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) and Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), he added.