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Lok Sabha passes NIA amendment bill to give more powers to anti-terror agency

The bill was passed with 278 members voting in favour and six against it, said Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla.

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The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill 2019. Though some members in the opposition raised questions against the bill but it was passed after a division as Home Minister Amit Shah sought a vote on the legislation.

The bill was passed with 278 members voting in favour and six against it, said Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla.

Advocating for the cause of the bill, Home Minister Amit Shah urged the House to vote in favour of the bill in order to send a strong signal against terrorism.

However, during the discussion, a war of words broke out between Amit Shah and Asaduddin Owaisi after the latter objected to the speech of BJP MP from Baghpat Satya Pal Singh. 

In a fierce clash, Amit Shah asked Asaduddin Owaisi to get a habit of listening. "Sunne ki bhi aadat daliye Owaisi sahab, iss tarah se nahi chalega." Owaisi had objected to a part of BJP MP Satya Pal Singh's speech during the discussion on National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill.

The amendments will also allow the NIA to probe cybercrimes and cases of human trafficking.

The NIA was set up in 2009 in the wake of the Mumbai terror attack that had claimed 166 lives. Since 2017, the Union Home Ministry has been pushing for giving more power to the NIA to meet fresh challenges.

Defending the bill, the Government refuted opposition's claims of "misuse" of the NIA law to target members of a community and asserted its only goal is to finish off terrorism.

In an intervention during the discussion on National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2019, Home Minister Amit Shah said Parliament should speak in one voice in giving powers to the NIA to send out a message to terrorists and the world.

Some MPs said the anti-terror law is misused at times to target members of a particular community. 

"Let me make it clear the Modi government has no such intention. Its only goal is to finish off terrorism but we will also not look at the religion of the accused while taking action," Shah said.

Replying to the discussion, Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy said that the government is committed to protect the country from terrorism.

"This is a government run by chowkidar and will be at the forefront for the security of the country," he said adding terrorism has no religion or caste or region, "it's just terrorism".

(With inputs from PTI)

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