DNA Edit: NIA empowered - Consensus on national security is paramount

With internal security at the centre of this government’s agenda, additional powers for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was a given.

Considering the security scenario inside the country and the attitude of our immediate neighbours, who are not too well disposed towards India, the NIA did need more teeth and that is what it has got. With the Rajya Sabha passing the amendment to the National Investigation Agency Bill unanimously with a voice vote, the scope for the anti-terror agency has been enlarged significantly.

It now has powers to probe scheduled offences such as human trafficking, circulation of fake currency, manufacture and sale of prohibited arms and cyber-terrorism. The NIA has also got jurisdiction over scheduled offences committed outside India, subject to international treaties and the domestic laws of other countries.

A special court in New Delhi will preside over such cases. While the NIA’s powers have been ostensibly enlarged, a closer look at the fine print would suggest that human trafficking, circulation of fake currency and manufacture and sale of prohibited arms can hardly be described as extra-judicial powers. They are part and parcel of probing any terror case or module, as a cursory look at any previous cases or convictions will reveal.

The Lok Sabha had cleared the NIA (Amendment) Bill 2019 on Monday with six MPs opposing it. It can only be considered unfortunate that a consensus on what is plainly a law and order subject aimed at providing more safeguards in the country, guaranteeing the security of Indian investigators, is proving to be elusive.

Some opposition parties raised objections to giving overarching powers to the agency, but were strongly rebutted by the government. Incredibly, there appeared to be no consensus even on the number of cases registered by the NIA or the percentage of convictions obtained. While the Congress — accused of misusing the NIA when in power to settle political scores — claimed that of the 48 terror cases with the agency, charge sheets were not filed in 23, the government quoted contrary figures.

Between 2014 and July this year, NIA filed 195 cases of which it filed charge sheets in 129 and secured convictions in 41 of 44 cases. While it is perfectly legitimate for political parties to disagree on issues, ranks need to close when it comes to national security. Surely, opposition parties cannot make a case that the country does not need additional protection! To settle political scores at the expense of government agencies should be considered highly unfortunate.

Congress has long been in power, but it has never discredited a government agency like it attempted to do on the floor of the House on Wednesday. It is fully within its rights to attack the BJP, but not faceless, anonymous officials, who cannot defend themselves on a public platform.

The Union home minister needs to be supported when he said that a united view in Parliament will send a tough message to terrorists and raise the stature of NIA internationally. If the stature of a premier government agency is sought to be raised, how should that bother the opposition? After all, they could be in power tomorrow.