Bill to prevent ‘urban naxal’ threat tabled, CM says existing laws ineffective

The Maharashtra government has tabled a bill to legislate a law to prevent the unlawful activities of the lsquoUrban Naxalsrsquo more effectivelyThe bill the Maharashtra Special Public Security Act 2024 was put up for the state legislaturersquos perusal on Wednesday It was also sent to a joint select committee for scrutiny and feedback was sought from members of civil society who want to discuss the matter Some Opposition members wanted to know why a new Act was needed when existing laws had sufficient powers to tackle extremismChief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said states where the new Act was in force had seen good resultsAccording to the CM Chhattisgarh Telangana Andhra Pradesh and Odisha had enacted the Public Security Acts to more effectively prevent the unlawful activities of Maoist bodies and 48 banned frontal organisations In the absence of a similar law in Maharashtra such organisations are active in the state Fadnavis statedA similar bill was taken up in the last session of the previous government Since the governmentrsquos term ended recently it was tabled afreshFadnavis said in the statement of objects and reasons of the bill that the situation menace of Naxalism was not only limited to remote areas of Maoistaffected states but its presence was increasing in urban areas also through the Naxalfrontal organisations ldquoThe spread of active frontal organisations of Naxal groups gives constant and effective support in terms of logistics and safe refuge to their armed cadres The seized literature of Naxals shows lsquosafe housesrsquo and lsquourban densrsquo of the Maoist network in cities of the state of Maharashtrardquo he saidldquoThe activities of Naxal organisations or similar groups through their united front are creating unrest among the common masses to propagate their ideology of armed rebellion against the constitutional mandate and disrupting public order in the staterdquo the CM said furtherFadnavis said the unlawful activities of such frontal organisations needed to be controlled by effective legal means because the existing laws were ineffective and inadequate to tackle the menace of NaxalismldquoThe Ministry of Home Affairs Government of India has in various meetings issued directions from time to time for an implementation mechanism for countering activities of such organisations in urban areas and choking of the flow of funds to them The Home Ministry has in the guidelines for Security Related Expenditure to Naxalaffected states advised the enactment of legislation by the state to tackle unlawful activities of Naxal extremist organisations or similar organisationsrdquo Fadnavis statedThe proposed lawAs per the bill offences under this Act shall be cognisable and nonbailable and shall be registered under the written permission of an officer not below the rank of deputy inspector general of police who shall also specify the investigating officer The Act gives the state government power to declare an organisation unlawful Under the Act an advisory panel comprising three persons qualified to be appointed as high court judges shall be formed to verify whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring an organisation unlawfulThe Act also gives the government powers to forfeit funds of an unlawful organisation