Uddhav, Sanjay Raut slam Maha Special Public Security Bill, call it a tool to stifle opposition

Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP and the party’s chief spokesperson attacked the recently passed Special Public Security Bill, 2024, on Saturday and called it a tool to suppress dissenting voices against the ruling BJP.

“This so-called ‘Jan Suraksha Bill’ is nothing but a ‘BJP Suraksha Bill’. The BJP is not afraid of Naxals, but it fears NGOs, social groups, and opposition parties that raise their voices against the government. This law is designed to target those who protest, especially tribals fighting to protect their land. The government’s real intention is to silence movements resisting corporate takeovers. They want to muffle the voices of tribals under the pretext of public security.”

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The Maharashtra legislature passed the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024, in both Houses, introducing strict measures against individuals and organisations involved in activities declared as “unlawful.” The assembly passed the bill on Thursday, and the legislative council on Friday.

The bill, which was passed in both Houses of the Maharashtra state legislature despite protests and a walkout by the opposition, is supposedly aimed at curbing so-called ‘anti-national activities’ by “extreme left-wing organisations”. The bill has now been sent to the Maharashtra Governor for approval.

Key features of the Special Public Security Bill, 2024, include imprisonment of up to seven years, a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh, as well as classification of offences registered under its provisions as cognisable and non-bailable.

Meanwhile, a close confidant of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, BJP MLA Sumit Wankhede, alleged on Saturday that “Maoists” have infiltrated many Gandhian organisations in Wardha and that Maoist ideology is being propagated by holding various seminars, meetings, and training programmes.

Wankhede has also alleged that the Maoists helped the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) through the ‘Bharat Jodo’ campaign during the Lok Sabha elections, and now the Maharashtra Public Safety Bill is being opposed to repay that political help. Sumit Wankhede said that the Maharashtra Public Safety Bill is necessary to stop what has happened in Wardha in the past few days.

Wankhede said that after the Special Public Security Bill, 2024, is passed in both Houses, action will be taken against frontal organisations of “urban Maoists”. He also added that real Gandhians need to be careful about “Maoists” infiltrating Gandhian organisations in Wardha.

Incidentally, Sanjay Raut’s statement against the bill came a day after Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray opposed the legislation on Friday evening while speaking to media persons. Uddhav Thackeray questioned the vagueness of the bill and said, “What does ‘extreme leftist ideology’ even mean? If the bill is about stopping Naxalism, then why is the word ‘Naxal’ not mentioned even once?”

Uddhav Thackeray expressed fears that the new law could be weaponised against dissenting voices, comparing it to draconian laws like TADA. “If Amit Shah himself says Naxalism will end by 2027, then why bring this law now? The timing raises doubts about the government’s motives. It looks like an attempt to stifle the opposition. The bill should be named ‘BJP Suraksha Act’ because the BJP thinks whoever speaks against them is anti-national,” Uddhav Thackeray said.

He said the bill talks about “unlawful activity” which constitutes danger or menace to public order, peace and tranquillity, or interference with the maintenance of public order, the administration of law, or established institutions and their personnel.

Interestingly, Uddhav Thackeray, who is a member of the Maharashtra state legislative council, was present in the House but did not speak when the bill came up for discussion.

Uddhav Thackeray clarified that while he supports action against genuine anti-national threats, arbitrary arrests under vague charges are unacceptable.

“Criticising the BJP doesn’t make someone a traitor. This mindset of the government is dangerous. Anyone could be jailed under the excuse of public safety,” Uddhav Thackeray said.

He said that the BJP thinks that whoever speaks against it is anti-national, alleging that the bill was passed with political intentions and expressed fear that it will be misused against the opposition as well as ordinary citizens. “It is a very ambiguous bill which smells of political intentions. We feel there will be political misuse of this new law. The dangerous word (in the bill) is ‘illegal activity’ and it applies to everyone, including the opposition and the common man,” Uddhav Thackeray said.