'Federal agency and special Act need of the hour'

Only a federal agency and a stringent Act can effectively counter terrorism, deputy chief minister and home minister RR Patil said on Sunday.

“Terrorists operate at the national-level and they have access to hi-tech equipment,” he said. “The local police cannot keep a tab on their every move. A federal agency will be able to effectively coordinate anti-terrorist operations in the country,” he said on a visit to Dadar chowpatty to inspect security arrangements for Ganesha immersion.

The police and para-military forces were on high alert in the city following the blasts in New Delhi, he said.

Much before the blasts in Jaipur and Bangalore, the Centre had asked states for their opinion on a federal agency and a special anti-terrorism Act, he said. “We have already told the Centre we are not against such an agency,” Patil said.

“The Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) are stringent Acts. But now a special Act to combat terrorism has become a necessity,” he said. “Countries like the USA and England have special laws to curb terrorism.”

The state is yet to receive a proposal from the Centre on the formation of a federal agency, chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said. “The state will extend all cooperation for the formation of such a agency,” he said.

s_ashutosh@dnaindia.net