NSA for cow slaughter: Congress ‘will not interfere’ in Madhya Pradesh

Backs Kamal Nath on imposing NSA

Randeep Surjewala. Photo: Sandeep Saxena

The Congress on Saturday said it would not “unwarrantedly interfere” in the functioning of the Madhya Pradesh government on the issue of the imposition of the National Security Act (NSA) against persons accused of cow slaughter and cattle smuggling. The party described Chief Minister Kamal Nath as a “seasoned administrator.” The party said law and order is the domain of the Chief Minister and the police.

The Congress’s position on the issue comes just a day after former Union Minister P. Chidambaram called the use of the NSA in this case “a mistake, and wrong.”

“Kamal Nath

ji has categorically said the law will take its own course. Nobody innocent will be persecuted or punished in any manner, and nobody guilty will be spared,” said the Congress’ communication chief Randeep Surjewala.

He added, “He [Kamal Nath

ji ] is experienced and seasoned enough to see if any officer of the police has made any overreach...We will not unwarrantedly interfere in the functioning of the State Government in any manner.”

His comments are at variance with what Mr. Chidambaram had said on Friday with regard to imposing the NSA.

“The use of the NSA in Madhya Pradesh was wrong. If a mistake has been committed, the mistake has been pointed to the government by the leadership,” Mr. Chidambaram had said at the formal launch of his new book,

Undaunted: Save the Idea of

India .