Former DGP of Punjab Police KPS Gill, who firmly tackled terrorism in Punjab, says that there is no place in society for laws like the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) or the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) as these had immense scope for misuse.
In an interview with The Sunday Tribune (September 21), Gill said, “There is absolutely no room for laws like TADA and POTA in society. Even earlier, we had a tough time in keeping the corrupt and the unscrupulous among the police force on the right path. These anti-terror laws had immense scope for misuse. Any new draconian Act will create more terrorists as these create a sense of palpable injustice.
“It is not possible to have such a law today. Can you imagine the scenario if Acts like TADA or POTA were to be in force in states like Punjab today? Properties would be usurped, people would be put behind bars and political scores would be settled using such draconian laws. It will be impossible to control. Why do we need such stringent laws to control society at large? It was the Pakistan-backed ISI that was creating trouble and to counter it you put in such regressive laws for the country’s own citizens. It defies logic. Such laws only show the state as an unjust entity.”