Bill to curb ‘urban naxals’ sent to joint select committee

The bill will be reintroduced after deliberation by both houses of the state legislature and a hearing by organisations opposing the bill

NAGPUR: Amid opposition from various organisations and opposition parties, the state government has sent the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024, aimed at curbing the activities of ‘urban naxals’, to a joint select committee. The bill will be reintroduced after deliberation by both houses of the state legislature and a hearing by organisations opposing the bill.

Bill to curb ‘urban naxals’ sent to joint select committee

The draft bill, a precursor to the proposed Maharashtra Special Public Security Act, 2024, was first introduced during the monsoon session but deferred amid apprehension that it could be repressive and used to silence dissent.

It proposes the following: commitment or abetment of such unlawful activities will attract imprisonment of seven years and a fine of up to ₹5 lakh; members of such unlawful organisations will be imprisoned for 3 years and fined up to ₹3 lakh; non-members who contribute to such activities will be punished with 2 years and fined up to ₹2 lakh; and individuals who assist such unlawful organisations will be jailed for 3 years and fined up to ₹3 lakh.

While introducing the bill, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “Naxal activities are not limited to rural areas; frontal organisations active in urban areas have emerged. Their intention is to create distrust about the Constitution and constitutional institutions. They also shelter people who are active in naxal activities and help get them with legal assistance. This has created dens of naxal activities. The bill has been introduced on the demand of anti-naxal squads (of the police). Such laws have been enacted in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.”

Congress MLA Nana Patole questioned the need for the bill when there were naxal-related laws in place.

Fadnavis countered this, stating that there is no naxal-related law and actions against suspected naxals were being taken under the Indian Penal Code. “In some cases, action is taken under UAPA, but these charges don’t stand up in court as the law is aimed at curbing terrorist activities. Some organisations said the proposed (anti-naxal) law could be used to suppress dissenting voices or against certain organisations. We do not intend any such action. Our only intention is to curb urban naxal activities. The organisations will a chance to argue their stand on the bill in front of the joint select committee.”

The statement accompanying the bill said, “The 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 safe houses and urban dens of the Maoist network in the cities of the state. The activities of these organisations, through their united front, are creating unrest among common masses to propagate their ideology of armed rebellion against the constitutional mandate and disrupts public order in the state.”

The provisions of the draft bill are in line with those in similar laws in states such as Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, where naxal activities have been historically present. These laws have been enacted on the advice of the Union home ministry at various meetings and symposiums, and have been invoked to ban 48 organisations so far.

The draft bill has a provision for the constitution of an advisory board comprising three high court judges, which would need to approve a proposal of the state to act against organisations or people connected to them, for action to be taken. It also includes a provision whereby funds of unlawful organisations can be forfeited and their properties attached.