Maharashtra Legislative Council Passes Public Security Bill, Opposition Stages Walkout
As the Bill has been passed by the both Houses of the state legislature, it would be sent to Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan for his assent.
Mumbai: Maharashtra Legislative Council on Friday passed the Maharashtra Special Public Security (MSP) Bill 2024 in the absence of Opposition parties, which staged a walkout. The bill, aimed at preventing “unlawful activities of Left Wing Extremist organisations or similar groups”, was passed in the legislative assembly on Thursday without a strong opposition from the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT). However, both parties fiercely opposed it in the council.
As the Bill has been passed by the both Houses of the state legislature, it would be sent to Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan for his assent. Once his assent comes, Maharashtra will become the fifth state in the country to have Special Public Security Act (SPSA) after Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Telangana and Odisha.
The bill was passed by the legislative assembly with only one dissent from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA Vinod Nikole. No legislators belonging to the Congress, NCP SP and Shiv Sena (UBT) objected to the bill. However, the three parties took a stand against the bill when it was introduced in the legislative council.
The Bill was introduced in the Council by Maharashtra minister of state for home Yogesh Kadam. During the discussion on the Bill, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab termed it as a BJP Suraksha Kayada (Security Law). The legislative council witnessed pandemonium over BJP MLC Prasad Lad’s remark that Balasaheb Thackeray eliminated the Communist party’s ideology and established Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, resulting in adjournment for ten minutes.
Taking part in the discussion, Mr. Parab said that there are four Acts including UAPA and MPDA, to curb terrorism, naxalism and other anti-national forces. He expressed apprehension that the new law will be used for political purposes to pressurise organisations opposing the government. He also said that he will submit a dissent note against the Bill. Subsequently, the opposition parties submitted the dissent note to the chairman of the Legislative Council.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray told the reporters that there is no mention of maoist, terrorism and Naxalism anywhere in the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill- 2024. “If this bill becomes a law, anyone can be arrested and imprisoned at any time. Earlier, there was the MISA and TADA Act, which were misused. Similarly, the Public Security Bill has been brought now. Anyone who speaks against BJP will be considered a traitor,” he said.
The former chief minister insisted that they would support the bill, if they would have made some changes in the bill. The government should use the words traitor, Naxal and those who do anti-national work in the bill.