Sunday, October 30 2005 16:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Madurai: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Leader Venkiah Naidu today (Oct 30, 2005) urged the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government to bring forward legislation in the coming Parliament session to deal effectively with terrorist elements in the country.

Speaking to reporters here, Naidu, who was here to pay homage to the late freedom fighter Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar, said IPC sections were 'not enough' to deal with the extraordinary situation prevailing in the country.

"Special situations need special laws," he said.

Stating that even the West, especially U.S.A, had realized the need for such laws, he said "If there are any provisions that could be misused, then the same could be removed and safeguards could be provided, using experience of the past."

Criticizing the UPA Government for scrapping Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), he said the attack on Ayodhya and the blasts in Delhi and Assam had taken place after it was removed.

"In our country people think they can do anything and get away. That was why the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) brought in POTA after deliberations. The Government could make the new stringent anti-terrorism law under any 'title'. However, there was an urgent need for them to tackle the menace, which was subverting and weakening democracy, as also the country," he said.

"Apart from strengthening intelligence, there was also a need to create public awareness, so that people could be cautious about neighbours and strangers," he said.

"Advising the people to remain indoors during the festival season, as done by the Central Government now, may be right. But to prevent such serial blasts, the government should get into serious business and stop it," he said.