CONTROVERSY

Mounting resistance

V.VENKATESAN

MAMATA BANERJEE, who as a Lok Sabha member of the Congress(I) protested against the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, or TADA, today finds nothing wrong with the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO). Her volte-face clearly stems from her expectation that the Trinamul Congress, which she launched after breaking away from the Congress(I), will be accommodated in the Vajpayee Cabinet.

But not all the constituents of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have taken such a stance. For instance, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi, himself a victim of preventive detention during the Emergency and a critic of TADA, has said that some of the provisions of POTO have to be reconsidered. The Akali Dal leadership is under pressure from within the party to oppose POTO when it comes up for ratification in Parliament.

Among the trenchant critics of POTO are the leaders of the Congress(I) and the Left parties, who see in its promulgation the "backdoor entry" of TADA. The Congress(I) has declared that it will oppose the ordinance in both Houses of Parliament.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) criticised the government for "smuggling in a draconian law" to replace TADA. The party's Polit Bureau said that there was scope for the misuse of POTO, especially in the context of the BJP-led government's double standards in taking action against violence perpetrated by different types of religious fundamentalists. It said that POTO might also be used against trade union activities and popular struggles. Communist Party of India national secretary D. Raja said that POTO had very little in it to safeguard the democratic and human rights of the people.

The Samajwadi Party has also criticised the Ordinance and vowed to oppose it inside and outside Parliament.