India must have a law against terrorism: Modi

Hubli (Karnataka), May 20 : Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has said that the Central Government should not hesitate in introducing a law against terrorism, if it actually wants to fight it.

Modi said the country needs a stringent law if it is to fight against terrorism at all.

Speaking to reporters here on the sidelines of a campaign for the BJP ahead of the third phase of Assembly elections on May 22, Modi said: "All countries across the world have made strong laws to fight terrorism. Even a country like Nepal has a law against terrorism. But India is the only country which has dissolved the only strong law (POTA) it had to handle terrorism."

Quoting Congress leader Veerappa Moily's recent statement that there was a need to have a law against terrorism, Modi said: "Even if the government has hesitation to bring back POTA , it will do good even if it created any new law (against terrorism). But it must have the law in existence."

"I have written a letter of a serious nature to the Prime Minister urging him to call a Chief Ministers' meeting on internal security. Like we have separate cadres for Indian Administrative Services (IAS) or Indian Police Services (IPS), there is a need to set up a separate Intelligence cadre," Modi suggested.

"As terrorism has spread globally, there is need to bring in professionalism. It is because the base of crime has become quite technology based," he said, adding that personnel in uniform needed to be psychologically attuned to the fact that being posted in an intelligence outfit was not and would not be a punishment posting, or a posting of indifference.

Under the provisions of POTA 2002, whoever commited a terrorist act, shall-(a) if such act has resulted in the death of any person, be punishable with death or imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to fine.

B) In any other case, be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than five years but which may extend to imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to fine.

C) Whoever conspires or attempts to commit, or advocates, abets, advises or incites or knowingly facilitates the commission of, a terrorist act or any act preparatory to a terrorist act, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than five years but which may extend to imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to fine.

ANI