BJP MPs force Arm Act Bill Deferred

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Lokmat Special

BJP MPs force Arm Act Bill Deferred

Minister Harsimrat Badal raised concerns

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec 8

The Modi government buckled under the pressure of its own lawmakers and decided to dump the Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2019 introduced with much fanfare in Lok Sabha last month end.

It transpires that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had brushed aside voices of concerns even in the crucial meeting of the Union Cabinet where the bill was brought for clearance. Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal had pointed out that the certain clauses of the bill particularly relating to one license one fire arm be reconsidered. The PM wondered as to why one would need more than one firearm in self defense. Once the Cabinet cleared the bill, Union Home Ministry went ahead and bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on November 29. It was set to be passed the same day. But all hell broke and a large number of BJP MPs rushed to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Om Birla, pointing out that this will seriously affect the safety and security of people in trouble-torn states. The MPs belonging to the Rajput and landed community said that they are in possession of  antique and precious firearms in their palatial bungalows mostly as show pieces for centuries. These should not be clubbed with the new policy.  

The Bill seeks to amend the Arms Act, 1959 aimed at  decreasing the number of licensed firearms allowed per person and increase penalties for certain offences under the Act.  The Bill reduces the number of permitted firearms from three to one. This includes licenses given on inheritance or heirloom basis. The Bill provides a time period of one year to deposit the excess firearms with the nearest police station or the dealer as specified.

The Bill increases the punishment for offences between seven years and life imprisonment along with a fine. It also prohibits using firearms in a celebratory gunfire which endangers human life or personal safety of others.

It is learnt that a high-level meeting took place in the government and it was decided that let the Arm Act (Amendment ) Bill 2019 be deferred for this session. 

Akalis give new Headache to Fadnavis

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Special report

Akalis give new Headache to Fadnavis

Amit Shah issues sermon; Amend Nanded Gurudwara Act

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Feb 4

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) may be BJP's ally in Punjab. But it is giving a new headache to the Devendra Fadnavis government in Maharashtra.

It now transpires BJP president Amit Shah spoke to the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and impressed upon him to re-look at the Gurudwara Act governing the historic Gurudwara at Nanded in the state.

The tiny issue of the Nanded Gurudwara has rocked the decades old relationship of the BJP with the SAD which threatened to walk out of the NDA and quit the Modi government. Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of the SAD, had met the BJP president had told him in no uncertain terms that his party would be left with no option but to quit the NDA. Even Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Food Processing Minister would quit the Modi government if the Maharashtra government continued to play with the religious sentiments of the Sikh community in the state. Since the Akalis had refused to attend the NDA meeting held on Friday last, Amit Shah swung into action and held a marathon meeting with Akali leaders to appease the discontentedThe SAD had made it clear that its core committee would meet and severe ties with the BJP forever.

Obviously, the BJP found the issue too hot to handle after what is happening in the North East and with other allies.

The Akalis told Shah that a section of the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) are trying to interfere in matters related to Sikhs. Functionaries who were privy to discussions said the both leaders managed to hammer out a truce after the two-hour meeting.

The bone of contention between the BJP and Akali Dal is over the amendments made in the Takht Hazoor Abchal Nagar Sahi Nanded Act, 1956 by the BJP government in Maharastra. The amendment empowered the Government to nominate six members to the Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee of Nanded and also its chairman. The committee has 15 elected elect members. But the power to nominate as many as six members and also the chairman made the Akalis angry. Their argument was that its a religious matter of the Sikh community and the government should not interfere in the Sikh sangat.

Fadnavis is understood to have told Shah that the amendments to the Act were made at the behest of the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, another frontal organisation of the RSS working in the Sikh community.

It is learnt that the Gurudwara Act would be amended shortly ensuring that an elected president is appointed and the state would not nominate six members and number would be brought down to two.

Shah, after talking to Fadnavis assured Badal that the state would not interfere in the affairs of Sikhs. Both parties are learnt to have agreed not to step on each other’s political turf.

Ends