Centre against draconian law- POTA

New Delhi, Aug 29: Home Minister Shivraj Patil today ruled out setting up of a federal investigating agency without a consensus and re-introduction of a draconian law such as POTA but called for strengthening of the police force to deal with terrorist activities across the country.

''The identification of federal crimes and setting up of a federal investigating agency can be done only after there was a consensus by the State Governments. We will not force this idea on them as there are differences of opinion,'' Mr Patil said in the Lok Sabha while replying to a debate on the Adjournment Motion on the failure of the Government to contain terrorist violence in the country as evidenced by a series of recent events, the latest being the twin blasts in Hyderabad in which 42 citizens lost their lives and more than 50 were injured.

He also turned down the suggestion of re-introduction of POTA, saying the country could not afford to have a draconian law that was incapable of protecting innocent people.

''We already have a substantial law to deal with terrorism. What we have repealed is the procedural law to protect innocent people,'' he said.

The BJP-led NDA and UNPA members walked out in protest before the Motion was put to vote and negated.

Mr Patil dismissed Leader of the Opposition L K Advani's remarks that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy had reportedly said it was the Centre's job to contain terrorism since terrorists came from Pakistan and Bangladesh. ''I was with the Chief Minister for five hours after the Hyderabad twin blasts, and he did not say this to me,'' Mr Patil replied.

Praising the Andhra Pradesh Government for controlling terrorism in rural areas, he said a lot had to be done to control terrorism in urban areas.

''The State Government has been successful in controlling Naxalism, but has to do a lot to control terrorism in urban areas,'' he added.

He said the Centre was thinking of setting up an internal security institution under the Police Act.

Listing several of the initiatives taken by the Centre to control terrorist activities, he said funds had also been provided to the States to modernise their police forces.

''The State Governments should also provide more funds in their budgets for expanding and strengthening the police force,'' he said.

He also asked the State Governments, such as Andhra Pradesh which come under the mega cities' criteria, to strengthen their special police branches so that ''actionable intelligence'' was gathered.

Taking a swipe at the BJP for suggesting that the UPA Government was soft on terrorism, he said: ''We did not take any terrorist on a plane to another country.'' UNI