Passing GUJCOC

It is unfortunate that the Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Bill, 2015 (GUJCOC) was passed by the Gujarat Assembly amid fierce opposition from the Congress (“ >Gujarat anti-terror Bill passed finally ,” April 1). There is no denying the fact that existing laws are adequate to tackle terror in Gujarat — as well as in the rest of India — notwithstanding the State’s vulnerable coastline and a mushrooming of crime syndicates with transborder operations. Given the dismal track record of a similar draconian law, TADA, which was ‘misused’ to silence and rein in the Opposition, this law could also be used in a similar manner.

P.K. Varadarajan,

Chennai

One fears that the Bill will be used to unleash terror. The fact that confessions made before the police will be admissible in court is certain to lead to an increase in the number of fake cases. The minorities are bound to feel even more insecure now. There is also a danger of it being misused to settle personal scores. Empowering the police to tap telephonic conversations is against the “right to privacy” which is derived from an expanded scope of Article 21.

Navneet Goel,

Kanpur