Latest news with #MaharashtraSpecialPublicSecurity
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bawankule criticizes Uddhav for opposing Maharashtra Security Bill
Nagpur: Revenue minister and senior BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule criticised Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray for criticising the Maharashtra Special Public Security bill, saying the former CM must keep the interests of the state in mind. Bawankule said he headed the draft bill committee, which also included opposition leaders, and claimed that it received unanimous support. The bill has been passed by both houses of the legislature and will now be sent to the governor, after which it will finally become a law. "Uddhav Ji, please for once think for Maharashtra's benefit. Think of our youth who will benefit from this bill," said Bawankule, while addressing the media in Nagpur on Saturday. "We put the draft in the public domain and it received support from the public too. Over 12,000 citizens responded to the draft. Generations will be saved because of this law, and the entire Naxal system will collapse. Now, even if after this Uddhav Ji wants to criticise, then God bless him," he added. The opposition to the bill is 'political', said Bawankule. "In the joint committee for the draft bill, I sat down with senior leaders like leader of opposition in the legislative council Ambadas Danve (Shiv Sena UBT), Congress' Vijay Wadettiwar, Nana Patole, NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil and discussed things in detail. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like She Took 1 Teaspoon Before Bed – Her Belly Was Gone in a Week Hollywood News | USA Click Here Undo We had almost five meetings for this and they all went over the draft clause by clause. All of them supported the bill and any statements given otherwise are simply for political compulsions," said Bawankule. He said the bill is not against any political party. "It's against the movement which is taking our youths towards the Naxalite movement. All organisations which propagate such types of ideologies will now be cornered," said Bawankule. "We have seen that such organisations are active in urban areas, in places like universities, and misleading our youth into the Naxalite movement. Everything will now stop due to this bill," he added.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Why Maharashtra ‘urban Naxal' Bill's smooth sailing has put MVA in the dock
The smooth passage of the Maharashtra Special Public Security (MSPS) Bill in the state Legislative Assembly as well as the Council seems to have exposed the lack of coordination and political will among the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance against the Mahayuti government led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. On Thursday, the MSPS Bill, which seeks 'effective prevention of certain unlawful activities of Left-wing extremist organisations', was passed in the Assembly by a voice vote. The Bill sailed through the Lower House amid the Opposition's concerns over the definition and interpretation of some of its terms and clauses. The only dissenting note came from lone CPI(M) MLA Vinod Nikole. With 235 MLAs in the 288-member Assembly, the BJP-led Mahayuti holds an absolute majority in the House. Yet, the 53 MLAs representing the MVA missed the opportunity to put up a spirited fight, failing even to express their dissent in the Assembly during the passage of the Bill. Twenty-four hours later, the Bill was also passed by the state Legislative Council amid an Opposition walkout. In what appeared to be a course correction, the Opposition in the Upper House submitted a note of dissent against the Bill to Chairperson Ram Shinde. But this only exemplified the Opposition's lack of a uniform strategy on a crucial legislation like this, which has been dubbed a Bill against 'urban Naxalism'. Fadnavis put forth his views in favour of the Bill in the Assembly. 'The legislation is against those Left-wing extremist organisations, which are provoking people for armed revolt to demolish democracy, Parliament and institutions,' he said. 'There are six such organisations that have been banned in other states operating in Maharashtra. In total, there are 64 outfits, which are, under the guise of people's socio-economic uplift, engaged in destructive and dangerous unlawful activities.' With the Opposition failing to put the government under pressure over the MSPS Bill, what remains to be seen now is how the protest against the legislation would play out on the streets. To begin with, a delegation of the Opposition leaders is planning to head to the Raj Bhavan to convey their concerns to Governor C P Radhakrishnan next week. The MVA's constituents – including the Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) – also plan to reach out to various Left organisations and launch a statewide campaign against the government. Whether the Opposition could successfully mobilise mass support remains to be seen. NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil said, 'We were members of the Joint Select Committee and strongly voiced our concerns. But its last meeting's date change took many of us off guard. We had our scheduled programmes… Yet, we brought to their notice our concern.' The Bill was referred to a Joint Select Committee comprising members of both the Mahayuti and MVA after it was introduced in the Assembly during last year's monsoon session. Although the panel received 12,000 suggestions and objections from various quarters, it finally recommended only three changes to the Bill. In a candid admission, a senior Congress leader and former minister lamented, 'There is no unity within the MVA. Each party is doing what it feels is right. In the Assembly, had we collectively registered our dissent, it would have given us the moral standing to question the government's intention behind such legislation.' However, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, who is an MLC, argued, 'The battle is far from over. We support the government in the fight against Naxalism and terrorism. But if the government, through this legislation, is going to abuse power to harass opponents, it is unacceptable.' Uddhav also said, 'If they (government) bulldoze a legislation through majority support on the floor of the House, we will exercise our rights to take the fight to the people.' Notably, it was under the Opposition's pressure, primarily by Uddhav and his cousin Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), that the Fadnavis government withdrew its controversial government resolutions (GRs) inducting Hindi in primary schools as part of the three-language policy. However, in the case of the GRs, it was the Thackerays' emotive pitch for the Marathi unity and pride that likely forced the government's hand. As regards the MSPS Bill, the Opposition reckons that the legislation, when enforced, could lead to a 'misuse of power against political rivals', and create a political environment in which anybody questioning the government could be tagged an 'urban Naxal' and face government action. To substantiate their apprehensions, Opposition leaders point to the absence of terms 'terror' or 'Naxal' in the legislation. Instead, it uses the terms 'Left-wing extremist' and 'frontal organisations'. Uddhav said, 'There is no mention of the words 'Naxal' or 'terror'… We are not against the fight against Naxal or terrorism, but if the government uses its majority rule to silence critics, we are not going to accept it.' In the past, legislation like the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) and Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) were misused by those in power to arrest and imprison political opponents. 'Similarly, the Fadnavis government will misuse the MSPS legislation against its opponents,' the Sena (UBT) chief alleged. Fadnavis, however, said in the Assembly that the legislation is directed at tackling the Left-wing extremist organisations, assuring that it was not intended to target the Left or any other political opponents. After passage in the Assembly and Council, the MSPS Bill will be referred to the Governor for assent, following which it will come into effect as a law. Maharashtra would be the fifth state to pass such a public security Bill after Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
What Maharashtra's ‘urban Maoism' Bill says
The stringent Maharashtra Special Public Security (MSPS) Bill, which seeks 'to provide for effective prevention of certain unlawful activities of left wing extremist organisations or similar organisations', was passed by the state Assembly by a voice vote on Thursday. The MSPS Bill has been debated widely ever since it was first introduced in the monsoon session of the state legislature last year by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was Deputy Chief Minister at the time. The Opposition has raised concerns over the definition and interpretation of some of the terms and clauses in the Bill. The Bill will now be introduced in the Legislative Council where it is expected to pass as well. It will then be sent to the Governor for his assent, following which it will become law. The statement of objects and reasons of the Bill says the 'menace of Naxalism is not only limited to remote areas of the Naxal affected states, but its presence is increasing in the urban areas also through the Naxal front organisations'. According to the government, these 'frontal organisations' provide logistics and safe refuge to armed Naxal cadres, and 'existing laws are ineffective and inadequate to tackle this menace of Naxalism'. To address this situation, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha have enacted Public Security Acts and banned 48 Naxal frontal organisations, the Bill says. The Bill gives the government the power to declare any suspect 'organisation' as an 'unlawful organisation'. It prescribes four offences for which an individual can be punished: (i) for being a member of an unlawful organisation, (ii) when not a member, for raising funds for an unlawful organisation, (iii) for managing or assisting in managing an unlawful organisation and, (iv) for committing an 'unlawful activity'. These offences carry jail terms of two years to seven years, along with fines ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. The offence relating to committing an unlawful activity carries the toughest punishment: imprisonment of seven years and a fine of Rs 5 lakh. Offences under the proposed law are cognizable, which means arrests can be made without a warrant, and are non-bailable. The Bill defines 'unlawful activity' as any action taken by an individual or organization whether by committing an act or by words either spoken or written or by sign or by visible representation or otherwise, which constitute a danger or menace to public order, peace and tranquility; or interferes with the maintenance of public order; or interferes with the administration of law or its established institutions and personnel; or is designed to overawe by criminal force or show of criminal force to any public servant, etc. Indulging in or propagating, acts of violence, vandalism or other acts generating fear and apprehension in the public; encouraging or preaching disobedience to established law and its institutions; or collecting money or goods to carry out any of these unlawful activities are also included. The Bill was first brought at the fag end of the 2024 Monsoon Session of the Assembly. The day after the Bill was tabled, the Assembly was prorogued and the Bill was not passed. After the Assembly elections, following which Fadnavis became Chief Minister, the Bill was introduced in December last year. Fadnavis said that since many organisations had expressed apprehensions, the Bill would be sent to the joint select committee, and taken up again after all views and opinions had been considered. The Joint Select Committee, comprising 25 members from both houses of the legislature, was headed by BJP leader and state Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. The Committee held five meetings between March 4 and June 26 this year. The Committee received more than 1,200 suggestions and objections from various stakeholders including opposition parties, NGOs, and citizens until the April 15 deadline. Some objections were raised about open-ended definitions of terms like 'unlawful activity'; some like the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) asked for the Bill be withdrawn in its entirety. Eventually, the Committee made a total of three amendments to the original Bill. 🔴 The first amendment was regarding the 'long title and preamble'. Initially the long title and preamble read: 'A Bill to provide far more effective prevention of certain unlawful activities of individuals and organisations and for matters connected….,'. The introduction to the amended Bill says that 'since the Bill intends to destroy Urban Naxalism, the Committee opined to bring clarity on this aspect', and changed unlawful activities of individuals and organisations to 'unlawful activities of Left Wing Extremist organisations or similar organisations…'. 🔴 The second amendment was to clause 5(2) of the Bill, which says that 'the Advisory Board shall consist of three persons who are or have been or qualified to be appointed as judge of the High Court. The Government shall appoint the members and designate one of them as the Chairperson.' The Committee suggested that the Board shall consist of a chairperson who is or has been a judge of the High Court, and two members of which one shall be retired judge and another shall be a government pleader of the High court appointed by the state government. 🔴 The third amendment was made to clause 15(2). Instead of the acts defined under the Bill being investigated by a police officer not below the rank of Sub Inspector, it was suggested that it should be entrusted to officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
How a new law in Maharashtra could criminalise dissent
How a new law in Maharashtra could criminalise dissent Framed as a tool to fight 'urban Naxalism', Maharashtra's Special Public Security Bill has sparked outrage for its sweeping powers. Critics say it criminalises dissent, bypasses due process, and could turn peaceful protest into a punishable offence In December 2024, just a day before the winter session of the Maharashtra Assembly ended, the Eknath Shinde-led government tabled the Maharashtra Special Public Security (MSPS) Bill — a controversial law ostensibly crafted to target 'urban Naxals' and their support networks. But what the government describes as a necessary security measure, civil society groups have called 'draconian', 'unconstitutional', and 'a danger to India's democratic fabric'. As many as 12,000 objections and suggestions were submitted by April 1 in response to the Bill. Now, a broad coalition of political parties and grassroots organisations is preparing to march in protest at Mumbai's Azad Maidan on June 30.
